


We Were Strangers

by Lumina24



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Anastasia (1997 & Broadway), M/M, Minor Aang/Katara, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:49:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26667736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumina24/pseuds/Lumina24
Summary: He’d been around nine when they’d found him washed up on the beach outside the city, near death and unable to recall even his name.[Or the one where Zuko is the lost prince of the Fire Nation, Sokka is the conman trying to collect some reward money, and Aang and Katara are just along for the ride.]
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 38
Kudos: 248





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Updates on Saturdays.

Sokka was nine years old when the great Fire Nation fell.

Specifically, he had been standing by the wall in the ballroom of the imperial palace, watching the dancers twirl by, celebrating the princess’s birthday with a magnificent ball. Looking out the window, Sokka could see fireworks going off in the distance, filling the sky with glistening lights. The festivities were to go on for hours more.

Tearing his gaze away from the celebrations going on below in Caldera City, Sokka renewed his focus on the royal family. Technically speaking, he was not supposed to be up in the actual ballroom where the guests were, but the kitchen was so busy that it seemed no one had noticed his absence. Normally, Sokka wasn’t one for shirking his kitchen boy duties, but it wasn’t everyday that an event like this happened. Across the room, the royal family stood, slightly elevated above the crowd, looking almost godlike in their majesty. The Firelord held himself regally, piercing eyes surveying the crowd, while his wife had a more benevolent smile painted across her face. Even more interesting were the prince and princess; Prince Zuko, who Sokka knew to be his own age, was completely expressionless. _He could look a little more appreciative,_ Sokka thought grumpily. Not everyone was lucky enough to be attending splendid balls. Some people spent their days working in the kitchen. 

Princess Azula simply looked bored.

Still hidden away in his unobtrusive spot by the wall, Sokka considered his options. He could return to the kitchen, where Chef would surely put him back to work, or he could try to get a closer look at the royal family, maybe even grab some fire flakes on his way. Not a tough choice to make. Sokka made his way across the room, garnering only a few curious glances.

Up close, the royals looked a little less intimidating. The Fire Lord’s stare seemed a little less focused and his wife’s smile appeared a little more strained. Of greatest interest to Sokka, though, was the scar that covered the left side of Prince Zuko’s face. Sokka had already known it was there, having heard whispered talk of it before, but in person it was so much more striking, an angry burn that stretched across his skin. Katara had told him that it was supposed to have happened in a training accident.

Off in the distance, there was a great boom. The music stopped abruptly. A nervous chatter erupted among the guests, and Sokka craned his neck to see what the noise could have possibly been. Did they set off the fireworks in the palace already?

The doors flung open. A swarm of masked men flooded in, and Sokka heard screams as one of the men shot flames into the crowd. Around him, people started to run, stampeding towards the exits. 

A body slammed into him, sending Sokka hurtling towards the floor. The other boy landed on the floor next to him. Around them, the guests continued their mad dash, searching anywhere for an escape.

“Hey. Get up.” The boy grabbed Sokka’s arm, tugging him up.

Oh. Not just a boy. Prince Zuko.

“I’m trying,” Sokka hissed, before getting to his feet. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

Zuko looked panicked. “Not without my family.”

A quick glance told Sokka everything he needed to know. The men in masks had the Firelord and his wife surrounded, the princess already being tied up. A group of three were scanning the room, searching the faces of the running guests. It wasn’t hard to guess who they were looking for.

Sokka grabbed Zuko’s arm and pulled him against the wall. “Your family is already gone, Your Highness. We have to leave. I know a way out of here.” With that, he took off at a run, dragging Zuko along behind him. Luckily, Zuko didn’t seem to be resisting much, though he had a fearful look on his face.

The men had clearly noticed their escape. Sokka heard shouts behind them. He didn’t bother turning around. He tightened his grip on Zuko’s arm. They were out of the ballroom now, taking off down the corridor. The study. They needed to get to the study.

The steps behind them were getting closer. That much was clear. Not to mention Zuko was clearly not used to this level of physical activity. He was breathing a little too heavily behind Sokka.

There. That was it. They were almost at the doors.

Sokka flung open the doors and shoved Zuko inside before running inside himself. 

“Help me move this!” Sokka positioned himself to pick up the bookshelf by the door. Zuko looked a little dubious at the prospect. “Hurry up!”

Zuko grabbed his end of the bookshelf and together they tried to push it in front of the door. This would be a lot easier if they weren’t both nine years old, Sokka thought ruefully. Slowly, the bookshelf made its way in front of the door. Then the banging started. The firebenders were trying to get in. 

“Okay,” Sokka said determinedly. “There’s a passageway behind one of these bookcases. I just can’t remember which one.”

“What do you mean, you can’t remember which one?” Zuko said shrilly. “What was the whole point of bringing me here?”

“I remember you have to pull one of the books to get it to open. My sister showed it to me.” Outside, the banging had ceased. Out of the corner of his eye, Sokka could see the flames licking their way up the door. They were burning their way through.

“We have to try them all. Go!” They started on opposite ends of the room, frantically tearing books off the shelves. The door was completely blackened and starting to disintegrate.

“Here!” Zuko shouted triumphantly. He’d pulled on a book and the bookshelf had started to slowly swing open, revealing a dark passageway behind it.

The bookshelf they’d blocked the door with was almost fully burnt and was clearly not far from collapsing. Sokka could hear the angry voices behind it, could feel the imminent danger behind that bookshelf. 

“Good job, Your Highness. Now go.” Sokka could be brave, just this once.

“What do you mean? Aren’t you coming?” Zuko looked worried, pausing to wait for Sokka to enter the passage.

Sokka mustered up a smile. “I can’t. You can’t close it from the inside. I have to stay here and close it, otherwise they’re going to follow you.” He put the book back on its place on the shelf, and the bookshelf began to close.

“Wait a minute! You can’t possibly think-” The passageway had shut, leaving Zuko on his own in there. Hopefully he would have the good sense to get out as fast as possible. The tunnel would take him outside the palace walls. Sokka was pretty sure him and Katara were the only ones who even knew about it, since not many people even went into that room and Katara claimed she’d never once seen another person use it.

Sokka turned to face the door. The firebenders burst in. One of them strode up to Sokka and grabbed him by the back of his neck.

“Where is the prince?” he demanded. “I know he was with you, you little shit.”

Sokka gave him a sweet smile, one his mother had always said meant he was up to no good. “I’ve never seen the prince in my life.”

With a scoff, the man released his grip on Sokka and took a step back. “I guess you’re not planning on telling us where he went, are you?”

Sokka didn’t say a word.

“Alright then.” The man gave a look to one of his companions and Sokka’s world went dark.

\-----------

The bookcase slammed shut, leaving Zuko standing in a dark passageway, unable to see two feet in front of him, and the serving boy still in the study, just as the intruders had come bursting in. Zuko felt sick.

His family. They were still out in the palace, probably dead. The boy who’d saved him was probably going to die too. He’d been a Water Tribe boy, Zuko was pretty sure. His piercing blue eyes had been the last thing he’d seen before being drowned in darkness.

Uncle. He was out in the city, Zuko thought with a glimmer of hope. He and his father had had a giant fight about it. Uncle wanted to be out among the people for the celebrations, to give an air of normalcy to the royal family. Father hadn’t liked it. He hadn’t seen it as necessary for the royal family to be approachable. But Uncle was out in the city; he probably didn’t even know what had happened yet. Zuko had to find him.

Armed with a new sense of determination, Zuko trekked down the tunnel. He couldn’t see a thing; after a while, he lost all sense of time. One step in front of the other. That was all that mattered.

After a while, Zuko started to notice the tunnel begin to lighten. Slowly but surely, light began seeping into the passageway. Up ahead, there appeared to be an exit. Hours had passed; the night had only just begun when the palace was attacked.

Zuko walked out into the light. He was outside the palace walls; that much was clear. He had emerged on top of a cliff, with the rest of the city behind him and the water directly below, a dizzying drop off into the harbor. The city appeared eerily quiet, with plumes of smoke rising off in the distance.

A stick cracked behind him. Zuko whirled around, hands held high, ready to bend. He could protect himself, even if he wasn’t quite as good as Azula.

An elderly woman stood behind him, giving him a calm stare. Zuko lowered his hands sheepishly.

“Hello, little boy. What brings you out here?” She was frail, but her voice did not waver at all. She reminded Zuko a little of his grandmother.

Zuko tried to summon every bit of his princeliness.“I need your help, ma’am. I am Prince Zuko, and I just escaped from the palace, where my family has been captured. Can you assist me in finding my uncle, General Iroh?”

She gave him a kind smile. “I know who you are, Prince Zuko. And your family has no one to blame but themselves for this. I hate to kill someone so young, but unfortunately, your line must end.” She motioned towards him, and before Zuko could even begin to react, the ground gave out below him. 

As he fell, the wind whistling in his ears, Zuko could see the sky above him, blue as that Water Tribe boy’s eyes. It wasn’t the worst thing to see before he died, Zuko thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Saturdays.

Lee stared at the ceiling of his shared room, watching the dust motes floating in the sunlight. He had to leave soon if he was going to make it to the capital before noon. The orphanage was three hours by wagon to the city and he was traveling with a farmer bringing his goods in to the market there. He wouldn’t take kindly to Lee being late.

He’d spent ten years in this place. The only ten years he could remember. He’d been around nine when they’d found him washed up on the beach outside the city, near death and unable to recall even his name. Ms. Kwan had taken him into the orphanage and dubbed him Lee. It was as good a name as any, even though it had always felt a little alien to him, not sounding quite right.

Anyways. He was nineteen and too old to be in the orphanage longer, despite the half hearted offers from Ms. Kwan to stay on at the orphanage as a custodian. It was time to go, to find a life for himself beyond the walls of this place. 

He had one bag. Ten years here, and one measly rucksack to show for it. Maybe he could get a job as a blacksmith in the capital. He was a firebender, after all, and they seemed to like that. Not that he’d had much formal training, though Ms. Kwan strongly believed that he must have had some training before he’d washed up on that shore. 

_Alright. Time to go_. He swung his legs off the bed, grabbed the bag, and walked out.

He’d already said goodbye to Ms. Kwan. There wasn’t anyone else here, really. Most of the kids his age had left, off to start apprenticeships or entering into domestic service. Hopefully, Lee could set himself up with a nice, modest job in the city. Ms. Kwan had wondered why he wouldn’t just go work for one of the local farmers. He’d said he wanted to see more of the world. And that wasn’t completely a lie. He did want to see the world. _But,_ a traitorous voice in his head said, _you’re looking for them, aren’t you?_ His family. The one he couldn’t remember. But that he knew, down to his core, was still out there. They had to be. And maybe, by returning to the city where he’d been found, all those years ago, he would finally get some answers. Find what he’d longing for all these years.

Down the path, towards the gate. The wagon was waiting outside. The farmer gave him an impatient look. Lee turned back to look at his former home.

He was met with the dreary gray brick; a couple of the younger kids poked their heads out the windows to stare curiously at him. He offered up a wave. They continued to stare. He turned back around and walked out.

On to the capital city. And maybe, on to find his family.

\-----------

They could definitely pull it off. Never mind what Katara said about “the risks outweighing the benefits” and the “absolute stupidity” that went along with fraud. What was life without a little risk, Sokka thought.

At this exact moment though, Sokka wasn’t sure how feasible the plan was actually going to be. It had seemed much easier to pull off when he’d laid out his idea to a skeptical Aang and Katara last night.

The dark haired boy in front of him gave him a toothy smile. “So, did I get the part?”

Sokka hoped his disdain wasn’t too evident on his face. “Look, Meng-”

“It’s Ming.”

“Ming. I loved the enthusiasm, but like I said in the ad, we were specifically looking for a firebender. With a facial scar. And who could pass for being in his late teens. Now, we can work with the scar issue, that’s not too hard to fake, but you’re just a little old. It’s going to be a no today.” Why _the hell_ did this kid think he was even close to matching the description? “Katara!”

His sister came marching in. “I’m guessing this one’s not a match either?”

“Not even close. Get out, kid.” Sokka waved his hand at the boy, who slunk out of the room. “Send in the next one.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Sokka, he was the last one. That’s everyone who responded to the ad. Will you please admit that this was a stupid idea, one that might actually get us killed?”

Sokka gasped in mock horror, clutching his hand to his chest. “My dearest sister! You wound me!”

“Sokka, please, just cut it out, it is so unlikely that-”

“Don’t worry. I’ll find the right person to play our Prince Zuko. Just give me a few days. And after we collect that reward money, we’ll be rolling in it! These royals pay well, you know. Especially ones looking for their long lost nephews.” With a flourish, Sokka sauntered out of the room.

Katara came jogging after him. “Where exactly do you plan on finding this mysterious person, who will assist us in committing fraud?”

“He will appear to me, dear sister,” Sokka said airily. “Just you wait. Our Prince Zuko will come.”

\-----------

Lee had been in the city for approximately two hours and he was already starting to consider heading back to the orphanage.

For starters, no one was hiring. That much was clear. The Fire Nation capital was “filled with young people,” a sympathetic shopkeeper offered up as Lee dejectedly trudged away from yet another rejection, and there were slim pickings when it came to the jobs in the artisan district of the city. He could try looking for a restaurant job tomorrow, Lee thought doubtfully, but if his bad luck continued, he wouldn’t have the means to stay here long. Ms. Kwan had given him enough money for about a week’s worth of lodging. Beyond that, he was screwed.

The sun was setting. He’d better find himself a room somewhere. He sat down on the curb instead.

From this part of Caldera City, the imperial palace was very visible, its towers looming over the city. Parts of the palace were clearly burnt, from what Lee could see. Evidently, the new regime had not seen fit to make any repairs. To his knowledge, the palace had been vacant for the past ten years. The once vibrant red roofs (at least that was what Lee had heard) were now rusty and faded, with patches of missing tiles creating an uneven pattern across the rooftops. The last rays of sunlight illuminated the palace from behind, creating an almost ethereal vision of what the palace might once have been. It was achingly beautiful.

“You still looking for a job, boy?”

Lee turned to see a man behind him, clearly closing up his shop for the night.

“Yeah, I am. Are you offering?”

The man gave him a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, I have an assistant right now. Although he’s completely useless. Anyways, they’re looking for firebenders in Ba Sing Se. Apparently they’re in big demand. You could try your luck there.”

“Ba Sing Se? I’ve never left the Fire Nation.” Did this man seriously think he was going to travel that far just for a job?

“All I’m saying is that you might have a much easier time of it there. You’re young. Go have an adventure.”

Lee considered. There wasn’t anything tying him to the capital, beyond the off chance that he might find his family here. And even that was such a pipe dream; it’d been ten years. The likelihood of him actually tracking them down was admittedly very small. Maybe Ba Sing Se was where he needed to be. Maybe this was him following his destiny.

“If I hypothetically wanted to go to Ba Sing Se, how would I go about that?”

The man smiled. “You need exit papers. And our gracious leaders are not very generous about handing those out. It takes months at least before they’ll process your application. Your best bet would be to get some forgeries drawn up.”

“Forgeries?”

“Go to the old palace. You’ll find someone named Sokka. He’s the one to go to for things like this.”

Great. He’d been here less than a day and already he was starting a life of crime. Okay, maybe he was being a little dramatic, but still. This had not been in the original plan.

The man was done closing up and started to walk away.

“Thank you for your help!” Lee called out.

“No problem. Good luck.” The man gave him a wave before turning the corner.

Alright. Time to track down this mysterious Sokka.

It only took ten minutes to get to the front gates. Well, gate. One of the giant doors had been blown off. Lee slipped in. It felt a little wrong to just waltz in, but it’s not like anyone was still living here. 

The courtyard was vast and empty. Bits of trash blew across the square. The palace itself loomed in front of him. Still an imposing sight, despite its decrepit appearance. He began to cross the courtyard. 

It felt like someone was watching him. Lee shifted uncomfortably. _Why does it have to be so goddamn creepy?_ He tried not to think about how many people had died here during the uprising ten years ago. Maybe his family had worked in the palace. They could have died then.

He was at the doors. Lee gave a tentative push, and they creaked open. Why couldn’t he have waited until the morning to look for this Sokka? It was completely dark in here, save for the moonlight filtering through the broken windows. He stepped into the great foyer. There was broken glass strewn across the floor. This must have been where the rebels had stormed in.

The place was completely cleared out. It looked like any trace of gold had been stripped from the walls. As he set off deeper into the palace, Lee could see where there might have once been fabulous paintings and sculptures adorning the walls. Right now though, the place was just depressing.

Up ahead, Lee could see a great archway. He approached, his feet crunching over the broken glass. This was the ballroom. There’d been a ball the night of the revolution, if he remembered correctly from his history classes. They’d been celebrating the princess’s birthday, hadn’t they. If Lee thought about it hard enough, he could almost see the dancers spinning across the room, the chandelier glittering above them. He could imagine the kind of music they might have been playing, almost as if he’d been there himself.

He stepped further into the room, running his hands along the tattered curtains that remained along the wall. Up near the front of the room, Lee could see the throne. That’s where the Firelord would have sat, all those years ago. He walked towards it.

“All of the guards were killed. A lot of the guests too.”

Lee whirled around. There was a boy standing behind him. Man. Boy-man. Piercing blue eyes with a slight smirk on his face.

“Um. Yeah. I know.”

“Pretty gruesome, huh?” The boy walked a little closer before stopping right in front of him. “I’m Sokka.”

“Right. I was looking for you. I need some papers..”

“No problem. You came to the right guy.” Sokka gave him a thoughtful look. “You know, you kind of look like you could have been part of the royal family. Dark hair, golden eyes, all that.”

“Isn’t that what most Fire Nation people look like?” Lee wasn’t sure where he was going with this.

“Something about the facial structure then. Anyways. What kind of papers did you need exactly?”

“I’m trying to get to Ba Sing Se. I need exit papers.”

Sokka stopped his circling abruptly. “Ba Sing Se? Why?”

_What’s it to him?_ “Work. I heard there’s demand for fire benders there.”

“So, you’re a bender?”

What was with all the questions? “Yeah. I am.”

Sokka gave him a once over. Lee tried not to blush. “Well. My associates and I have seen many, many young men from all over the country, and I must say, none of them have come even as close to resembling the crown prince as you do. The missing prince.”

Lee snorted. “You’re crazy.”

Sokka shrugged. “Call me crazy, but I know what I’m talking about. You even have the same scar that the prince did.”

“Scar?”

“A little known fact. The prince’s face was severely burned shortly before the uprising. It was not a publicized incident.”

“Okay. So I have a scar on my face too. It’s a coincidence.”

“Where exactly did you grow up?”

Lee did not like the direction this conversation was heading. “Well. Um. I actually don’t remember anything from before I was nine. They found me and I couldn’t remember a thing. I grew up in an orphanage.”

Sokka’s grin couldn’t have been wider if he tried. “What was your name again?”

“Lee.”

“Well, Lee. However much you deny it, it seems that you have a lot in common with the lost Prince Zuko. And, as it happens, his uncle, currently living in Ba Sing Se, has issued a public appeal for any information on the prince. You see, they never found the prince’s body with the rest of his family. There are rumors about the princess too, but those are a little less believable. They found her body with their parents.”

A prince. It was just too far fetched to be believable. But, a voice in Lee’s head whispered, the similarities between him and the prince were just a little too coincidental.

Sokka continued on. “As it happens, I’m heading to Ba Sing Se in two days with my sister and her boyfriend. I’m sure we have room for one more.”

“You’re saying I should go to Ba Sing Se with you?” Lee asked doubtfully.

“Think about it this way. If you’re the long lost prince, then you’ll be reunited with your only family. Yay! If you’re not Zuko, then no harm, no foul. Just an honest mistake, and you can resume your job search in Ba Sing Se. But just think. It can’t be a coincidence that you are the striking image of the prince _and_ you have no memory outside of the last ten years. Who’s to say you aren’t Zuko?” 

Sokka’s argument was convincing. After all, was it really that hard to believe? “I mean, I guess it can’t hurt. I’m going there anyways,” Lee said cautiously.

“Great! Let’s start calling you Zuko. Makes things much less confusing.”

“Right. Zuko.”

Sokka slung an arm over Zuko’s shoulders. “I’m going to introduce you to my sister and her boyfriend. We’ll be spending a lot of time together, so best to get acquainted now.”

\-----------

“You’re the Avatar.”

The Avatar gave him a sheepish smile. “You can just call me Aang.”

When Sokka had said he was going to introduce Zuko to his sister and her boyfriend, he was not expecting an audience with the Avatar.

The four of them were in a luxurious house in the upper level of the city. The Avatar’s residence.

“The house is beautiful,” Zuko said hesitantly.

Before Aang could say anything, Sokka interjected. “Decorated it myself! These two would have been living in squalor if it weren’t for me!”

“Sokka!” his sister said reproachfully. “Can you be a little more polite? We have a guest.” She offered her hand to Zuko. “I’m Katara.”

Zuko shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

“Right.” Sokka clapped his hands. “Let’s get down to business. This is Lee, who is now going by Zuko. He is coming with us to Ba Sing Se, where he will find General Iroh, his possible uncle. And then he’ll know for sure if he’s the prince.”

Aang and Katara exchanged a look.

“Wait,” Zuko said. “You’re the Avatar. You can’t just leave, can you?”

Aang shrugged. “I’m mediating between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. Currently, it’s not going very well. I have to talk with the Earth King in Ba Sing Se.”

“That sounds like a tough job for a sixteen year old.”

Aang glanced at him. “It is. But I’m the Avatar, aren’t I?”

Zuko didn’t say anything to that. It’s not like he knew anything about being the Avatar. He was an orphan with no last name and no money. “What about you two? You’re Water Tribe. What are you doing in the Fire Nation?”

Katara spoke first. “Our parents died when we were little. We were sent to go live with an aunt who lived here. She worked in the palace, actually. Got us jobs there ourselves. She passed a couple of years ago.”

“And you never thought to go back to the Water Tribe?”

Sokka answered this one with a grimace. “A little too painful, my man. Lots of memories. Besides, Katara here found herself an Avatar boyfriend,” he said, elbowing his sister.

Katara gave him a jab in return.

“Right,” Zuko said. “Okay. So when are we leaving?”

Aang answered this one. “Tomorrow, if we can! We have to stop by the Southern Air Temple though. That’s where my flying bison is right now. After we go get him, he can take us to Ba Sing Se.”

Tomorrow. He was really doing this.

“That okay with you, Zuko?” Sokka asked.

Zuko leveled him with an irritated look. “Yeah. It’s fine.”

“Give him a second to take it all in, Sokka,” Katara said. “He’s leaving his whole life behind.”

“It’s fine,” Zuko said. “Tomorrow’s fine.”

“Now that that’s settled, let’s talk logistics some more. We’re taking a somewhat roundabout way there…”

\-----------

It took another hour before they’d covered the whole itinerary. Aang had offered Zuko one of the guest rooms, which Zuko seemed very grateful to take him up on. He’d just headed up after bidding them good night.

“You don’t actually think he’s the prince, right?” This came from Katara.

“Obviously not.”

“He certainly looks like the prince,” Aang offered up.

“He does. But the scar’s on the wrong side. Hopefully this uncle won’t notice the difference.” They were trying to guilt him out of this, Sokka was sure of it.

“Sokka,” Katara began. “Are you sure about this? You’re conning this guy into thinking he is actually the prince. I was fine with this when I thought we were just hiring someone to play the part. That’s not what this is though.”

“Look, Katara. I’m not convincing this guy into anything. I told him the truth. He might be the prince, he might not be,” Sokka said. A little quieter, he continued. “If we pull this off, we won’t be living off of Aang anymore. We’ll have our own money. We won’t be dependent on your boyfriend.” Aang had the decency to look away.

Katara was frowning. “Is there any possible way we can convince you not to do this?”

“No.”

“Alright.” Aang and Katara exchanged another look. Sokka hated it when they did that. “We’re coming because we don’t want you doing anything stupid. We are not condoning this scheme.”

Sokka rolled his eyes. “But you’ll be happy to split the reward money, won’t you?”

Katara was the one who answered. “Obviously, you bonehead. We’re a part of this scheme too, like it or not.”

\-----------

The four of them stood outside the city gates. It was a bright, airy morning. Hopeful.

Zuko breathed in the fresh air. He was leaving behind everything he’d ever known, all on a whim. He’d literally left the orphanage yesterday, and now he was heading off, off into the unknown.

Sokka seemed less affected. He glanced over at Zuko. “We don’t have all day, Your Highness. Places to see, things to do, all that.”

“Just give me a second.” Zuko gave one last look at the city. Here goes nothing.

“I’m ready.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Saturdays.

Turns out, a hike across the Fire Nation was a little more strenuous than Zuko had anticipated.

“It’s only a couple hours. Ten at the most!” Aang had proclaimed cheerfully at the start of their journey. “We can split it up over two days!”

The mongoose lizards they were riding to the port were probably the creepiest animals Zuko had ever seen in his life. Their buggy eyes gave him shivers. Not to mention how extremely uncomfortable the saddles were.

Katara rode up next to him. “I know it’s a little annoying, but this honestly is this worst of it,” she said quietly. “Once we get Appa, it’s an easy ride to Ba Sing Se.”

Zuko tried to give her a smile, but it probably came out as more of a grimace. “It’s fine. I’m just not really used to this kind of thing. Spent my whole life in the same place, you know?”

Katara nodded. “I spent most of my life in the city. I never really went anywhere else until I met Aang. Don’t let Sokka fool you. Neither did he.”

“Talking about me?”

Zuko looked over his shoulder to see Sokka giving a skeptical look at the two of them.

“Just warning Zuko about your ways,” Katara said airily. “You’re not as worldly as you make it seem.”

“I am plenty worldly, if that’s the word you want to use. I have excellent tracking skills, to start with. Aang! You’ve been unusually silent.”

Aang looked back at them uneasily. “I’d rather not weigh in.”

“Aang, as your elder, I command you to speak your piece.” Sokka was visibly excited by this conversation.

“And as the Avatar, I withhold my right to remain silent.”

Sokka pouted before turning on Zuko. “Your Highness! Any thoughts?”

All three sets of eyes swiveled towards him. Zuko shifted uncomfortably. “You don’t actually have to call me that. We don’t know if I’m really the prince.”

“We’re calling you Zuko, aren’t we? I like it better than Lee. And you didn’t answer the question.”

“Fine. You seem very worldly. I’ve known you for literally a day, though.”

Sokka crowed in delight. “Take that, Katara! The prince is on my side!”

“The prince is not on your side,” Katara said, irritated. “The prince was coerced.”

“Sore loser.”

\-----------

The campsite Aang chose was right under a cliff face. Zuko looked uneasy as he stared up the cliff. Sokka filed that away for later.

It didn’t take them long to set up the tents and there was still an hour or two left of daylight, which meant Sokka was bored. Katara and Aang seemed content to practice waterbending in the nearby stream, and Zuko was looking on with interest.

“Hey, Zuko,” he began. “You want to go find dinner? Get our hunt on?”

Zuko looked bemused. “We brought food, didn’t we?”

“Well, yeah. It’s just more fun to hunt your own food, don’t you think?”

“I’m sure it is, but I actually kind of want to watch them waterbend a little longer? I’ve never really seen anything like it before, you know?” Zuko turned back to watching Aang and Katara.

“Right.” Sokka stomped off into the forest. Asshole. He was just trying to be nice.

By the time Sokka got back, about an hour later and with no meat in hand, Aang and Zuko had moved on to practicing firebending. Great. More bending.

“Hey jerks,” he said, walking up. “Mind if I watch you two jerks do your jerkbending?”

He meant it as a joke, but Zuko looked pretty annoyed. The guy was good looking, but he had next to no sense of humor, it seemed like.

“Sokka,” Aang said with a hint of exasperation. “Can you give us five more minutes?”

Sokka raised his hands in acquiescence. “Fine. I’ll help Katara with dinner.”

True to his word, Aang wrapped it up with Zuko pretty fast. He sat down by Katara on the other side of the fire and pretty soon they were wrapped up in their own little world.

Sokka grabbed his dinner and sat down next to Zuko, who seemed content to just stare into the fire.

Zuko began, which was a little unexpected. “So, how did Aang and Katara start dating?”

“Don’t even ask. They give me a different story every time. I have no idea which one is true.”

Zuko nodded. “Right. Okay, why are we getting Aang’s flying bison? Why isn’t he with Aang?”

“Are you interrogating me?”

“No. I just have questions. This is all happening pretty fast.”

For the first time, Sokka felt a stab of guilt. No, wait. Zuko was going to Ba Sing Se anyway. Sokka had just given him that extra push with the prince thing. He didn’t promise anything; he’d just brought up the possibility of him being a prince. _ Stop trying to justify it _ . Sokka promptly ended that train of thought.

“To answer your question: Appa’s in the Southern Air Temple raising the new generation of flying bison. A lot of them were killed in the war. Along with the rest of the air nomads.”

Zuko gave a rueful nod. “Same war that killed my ‘family.’” He punctuated this with air quotes.

“Yeah, well, Appa also doesn’t like cities. It made more sense for him to stay at the temple.”

Zuko looked up to give Sokka a direct stare. “What about you? Do you live with Aang?”

Sokka didn’t like where this conversation was going. “Yes.”

“You don’t have your own place?”

Sokka felt his face reddening. “It’s not like you’re rolling in it either, Your Highness. Last I checked, you were unemployed and homeless.”

Now Zuko was flushed. “Do you have a problem with me?”

“No problem. Just pointing out the irony in that statement.”

“I wasn’t saying anything! I asked a question. You’re the one who got all defensive about it.”

Aang and Katara had apparently noticed what was going on across the fire and were giving them concerned looks.

“Everything okay?” Katara asked tentatively.

“It’s fine,” Sokka replied, before getting up. “I’m calling it a night. See you guys in the morning.”

The last thing he saw before disappearing into his tent was Zuko sitting by the fire with his head in his hands.

\-----------

Zuko woke up to the sound of rain hitting his tent. Great.

Judging by the sounds of outrage coming from Sokka’s tent, he didn’t seem too happy about it either.

“It’s okay, guys!” he heard Aang shout. “We’ll make it there in no time!”

Right. Because a ride through the rain was such a blast.

It didn’t get much better once they’d started. In addition, Sokka seemed determined to ignore Zuko for as long as possible. Fine by him; Zuko didn’t have much to say to him either. The less they talked, the better.

The gray sky above seemed to agree with him.

“Katara,” Sokka said conversationally. “Isn’t it true that the prince needs to keep his nose out of other people’s business?”

“Sokka!” Aang and Katara said in unison, which would have been funny if Zuko wasn’t so irritated.

“Just saying,” Sokka said before riding up ahead.

Aang turned to look imploringly at Zuko, who still hadn’t said anything. “He’s just a little sensitive about the whole money thing. He’ll get over it.”

“Whatever,” Zuko muttered.

It took them four more hours to get to the port; Zuko’s mood hadn’t improved one bit, and neither had Sokka’s, it seemed.

“What,” he said, “are those?”

“Manatee whales!” Aang said cheerfully. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

Sokka looked down doubtfully at the animals that were supposed to pull the barge they were about to board. “Yeah, I don’t know about that.”

Zuko was with Sokka on that one.

\-----------

It took six hours for them to get to the Southern Air Temple on the barge; in that time, Sokka had managed to spill juice all over the deck, rip some netting, and insult a crewmember. The captain looked close to throwing Sokka off the ship. Zuko couldn’t blame him.

“I’m dropping you folks off on the beach. You’ll be able to get there okay?”

“We’ll be fine, sir!” Aang said cheerily. “My bison is picking us up!”

“Your… bison. Right. Okay, have fun kids.”

Once they were on the beach, Zuko couldn’t help but wonder how they were supposed to get to the Southern Air Temple. He couldn’t see a single road or path they were supposed to take.

Aang, noticing Zuko’s concern, flashed a smile and said, “We’re just waiting for Appa. He’ll know I’m here.”

“Right,” Zuko said doubtfully. He wandered off to practice some of the firebending moves Aang had taught him. Might as well make good use of the downtime.

While Zuko tried to summon a fire whip, Sokka regaled Aang and Katara with some inane story about a traveling cabbage man he’d met. He was such a weird mix of confidence and insecurity. Zuko couldn’t figure him out.

_ I should probably apologize to him.  _ But for what? He asked a question. Not his fault that it struck a nerve.

Just then, Zuko heard a cheer from Aang. “Appa!”

Zuko turned to see a giant bison descend from the sky, landing with a thud. He let out a roar of delight.

“Zuko, come meet Appa!” Aang was clearly delighted by the arrival of his bison.

Zuko took a step toward the bison, not wanting to make any sudden moves. He didn’t want to make his apprehension too obvious, to avoid offending Aang, but judging from the smirk on Sokka’s face, he was not successful. It’s just that the bison was so  _ big. _

“Um, hello, Appa,” he said, feeling a little idiotic.

Appa gave him a long stare, seemingly deliberating over Zuko’s fate. After what seemed like forever, he gave Zuko a long lick, from bottom to top. Cute, but gross.

Zuko was covered in slobber. “Uh, thanks.” He could see Katara and Sokka doubled over in the corner of his eye.

Aang was beaming. “He likes you! Appa is a great judge of character.”

“Not that great,” Sokka muttered.

Zuko shot him a dirty look. Aang had apparently not heard.

“Let’s go, guys!” Appa knelt down and Aang scrambled into the saddle. Katara and Sokka followed.

“Scared?” Sokka said. Katara jabbed him in the arm.

“No,” Zuko said, pulling himself into the saddle while trying to muster up a glare.

“Yip yip!” Aang was too preoccupied with his reunion to notice any tension.

Appa soared into the sky, a sensation that Zuko absolutely despised. He gripped onto the edge of the saddle, trying not to betray his discomfort to Sokka. Fortunately, Sokka was too busy poring over the maps to notice.

“We’ll have to go through the Swamp to get to Omashu. After that, it’s a straight shot to Ba Sing Se.”

“Are you sure about the Swamp?” Katara looked concerned.

“It’ll be fine,” Sokka said dismissively. “We’ll just fly on over.”

Up ahead, Zuko could see the spires of the temple fast approaching. The white towers rose above the clouds, creating an awe-inspiring sight.

“Pretty great, huh?” Sokka said dreamily.

Zuko glanced over. For now, it looked like Sokka was too enamored with the temple to be annoyed at him.

“Yeah,” he said finally. “It’s pretty great.”

Appa took them to the entrance, where a gaggle of baby bison congregated. They swarmed the group, butting heads against hands. Frankly, it was adorable.

“We’ll spend the night here,” Aang declared. “We’ll leave in the morning and head to Ba Sing Se.”

Aang and Katara began a debate about dinner. Sokka had already disappeared to who knows where. 

“Hey,” Zuko said. “Is it okay if I go explore a little?”

The debate stopped abruptly. “Of course,” Katara said. “Just don’t get lost. One time I got locked in a room full of statues for three hours. It was creepy.”

Aang nodded solemnly. “I thought she fell off a cliff or something.”

“Okay, well, I’ll be back in a little bit.” Zuko walked into the temple.

The inside of the temple contained a vast hall, with dust covering the surfaces. It had clearly been abandoned for quite some time. Zuko walked across the hall and started to climb the stairs.

After about ten minutes, with his legs burning, Zuko reached the top of what he assumed was the central tower. He walked out into a room filled with books, with a door leading out onto what looked like a balcony.

Zuko walked out onto the balcony. In front of him, he could see the back of Sokka’s head as he sat on the edge of the balcony, his legs dangling over the side. Zuko tried to slowly back away, but as he crept backwards, he felt his foot hit the pillar behind him with a thud.

Sokka’s back stiffened and he whipped his head around. There was a pause as the two of them made eye contact. Sokka’s eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked abruptly.

“Nothing. Well, I was exploring, I guess.” This could be the perfect time to make amends with Sokka. The rest of the trip was going to be miserable if things continued on this way. “Do you mind if I sit?”

Sokka looked like he wanted to say no. After a pause, “Sure.”

Zuko sat next to him, maintaining a careful distance from both him and the edge of the balcony. Could never be too careful. “So,” he began.

“So.”

“I’m sorry for asking you about the money stuff. That was a little much.” The setting sun was illuminating Sokka’s profile, giving him an otherworldly glow. Zuko quickly looked away.

Sokka sighed. “I’m sorry for blowing up at you. That was uncalled for. Also for saying all the other stuff. That was also very childish.”

The two of them sat in silence for another couple minutes. Zuko wondered if he should get up and leave, or if that would be rude. Or maybe it was ruder to stay? He started to get up.

“Wait,” Sokka said suddenly. “I want to explain.”

A little unsure of himself, Zuko sat back down.

“I’m sensitive about money. And relying on Aang. I mean, it’s one thing for Katara to live with him. She’s his girlfriend. It’s a whole other thing for his girlfriend’s brother to be living with him. He says he doesn’t mind, but it’s just a little humiliating, you know?”

“I guess the forgery business doesn’t pay that well then, huh?”

Sokka elbowed him in the side.

“After our parents died, it was just me and Katara. And I’m her big brother; it’s my job to provide. And it’s not like there are that many jobs out there for a couple of Water Tribe kids, especially with those guys in charge. The forgery business is a nice gig. Only pays so much, though.”

Zuko looked down. “The rebels… if I really am the prince, then they killed my family, didn’t they?”

“Yeah. They did.”

They sat for a couple more minutes before Zuko broke the silence. “It’s okay to not have it all figured it out, Sokka. It’s not like I’m doing much better.”

Sokka smiled at him, before getting up and offering Zuko his hand. “Yeah, well. Hopefully, my luck will change soon. And I’ll be a much richer man.”

Zuko smiled back at him. “Yeah. I hope so.”

By the time they got back to the campsite, it was dark. Aang and Katara were snuggled up by the fire, whispering into each other’s ears. Sokka stepped into the circle with a wide grin on his face.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

Katara’s face reddened. “Shut up, Sokka. You’re just jealous and lonely.”

Sokka stuck his tongue out at her. “That’s not true.”

“Sokka,” Aang said in a calming tone, “How about we just go to bed? Just skip the whole argument?”

“Fine,” he said, a little disgruntled. “Goodnight!”

\-----------

As the Southern Air Temple faded away into the distance, Sokka couldn’t help but feel a little wistful. He’d always liked it there, ever since Aang had first taken him, probably two years ago at this point. Not long after he and Katara started dating. He’d taken it on as his personal mission to bond as much as possible with his girlfriend’s brother, for whatever reason. Sokka hadn’t been sure at the time why exactly Aang would choose a place that surely held painful memories, but he understood it now. This place was the closest he could get to showing Sokka the innermost parts of himself.

Anyways. It was a nice place to sit and think. Even if a certain jerkbender decided to come and interrupt his thinking time. Even if said jerkbender was surprisingly nice and understanding, despite Sokka’s general awfulness toward him. Sokka knew he wasn’t the nicest when he was mad.

They were bound for Kyoshi Island. Sokka figured they could probably make it to Ba Sing Se in a couple days if they tried, but Aang didn’t like to overwork Appa. Sokka understood, even if it did stress him out to be taking so many stops. There was always the possibility of some other Prince Zuko reaching General Iroh first, someone else collecting the reward money. Sokka was confident in the plan though; their Prince Zuko was as close as you could get to the real thing.

Speaking of. Zuko was gazing out at the horizon, his tousled hair blowing in the wind. His good eye burned golden in the morning light. Sokka swallowed dryly.

Katara was giving him a suspicious look. Sokka looked down at his lap.

That morning, there had definitely been an easing of tension between him and Zuko. It was nice. Sokka hadn’t felt the urge to snap at him even once.

“We should be getting close,” Katara called out.

Through the clouds, Sokka could see an island off in the distance. Appa began his descent.

As they got closer, Sokka felt the stirrings of excitement. He hadn’t been here in ages, it felt like.

Appa landed with a thump near the village. A couple Kyoshi warriors came running over.

“Suki!” Sokka cried out. He hopped off of Appa and sprinted over, gathering her in a crushing hug.

“Sokka!” He was quickly surrounded by Kyoshi warriors. Man, he loved this place.

“Ladies, may I present Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.” There were a couple gasps.

Zuko’s ears were tinged red. “We don’t actually know that. I might be the prince. We’ll see.”

“Ridiculous! He’s just being modest.”

Zuko looked like he wanted to sink into the ground. Sokka decided to grant him mercy. “Suki, if you wouldn’t mind taking us on a tour? This is Zuko’s first time on the island.”

Suki rolled her eyes. “Yes, obviously, Sokka. I know. And yes, I’d be happy to.”

Sokka directed his attention back to Zuko. “Come on, Your Highness! Let’s roll!”

Both Suki and Zuko looked extremely unamused.

\-----------

Zuko stabbed at his dinner. That girl Suki was pissing him off. He didn’t even know why. She had been perfectly nice all day, even letting him sit in on one of their fighting classes, but something about her just irked him.

The way she seemed so close to Sokka, talking to him as if she’d known him for years ( _ maybe she has _ , a voice in his head chimed in). Sokka had been so preoccupied with her all day. _ Why do you even care _ , he thought.  _ You had one good conversation with him. _

It shouldn’t matter. Zuko didn’t know why he was so hung up on this. He tried to talk to Aang and Katara instead.

Across the fire, he could see Sokka laughing at something Suki said, his head tilting back in a soundless laugh, throat gleaming in the firelight. Zuko’s chest tightened.

“You know,” Katara said conversationally. “Suki’s girlfriend is off on a trip right now, but she should be back sometime tomorrow morning. Maybe you’ll get to meet her.”

_ Oh. _ “She has a girlfriend?” Zuko said, trying to mimic Katara’s casual tone.

Aang nodded enthusiastically. “She’s really nice. You would like her.”

The tightening in his chest eased a little. “Good to know.”

There were only a couple rooms available that night. Aang and Katara were sharing one, Zuko and Sokka were sharing the other.

“Do you have a problem with Suki?” Sokka asked abruptly, as they both got ready for bed.

Zuko paused as he lifted up the covers of his bed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you were glaring at her all day. Believe me, I know what it means when you make that face. I’ve been on the receiving end of it enough times.”

“She’s nice! I like her fine.”

Sokka gave him a doubtful look. “Whatever you say, Your Highness. Goodnight.”

It couldn’t have been more than an hour or two later when Zuko woke with a start. He looked around the room. Next to him, Sokka cried out in his sleep. 

Zuko crept over to Sokka’s side of the room. Sokka was trembling and crying out unintelligibly. Zuko shook his shoulder, which seemed to have no effect.

“Sokka,” he hissed. “Wake up!” He grabbed Sokka by the shoulders.

That seemed to do the trick. Sokka’s eyes snapped open, and there was a long pause as he and Zuko stared into each other’s eyes.

Zuko realized he was still holding onto Sokka’s shoulders. “Sorry,” he said, backing up.

“No, it’s my bad,” Sokka said carefully.

“What, um. What were you dreaming about?”

“Nothing,” Sokka retorted. “It was nothing.”

“Okay. Goodnight then?”

“Goodnight.” Sokka rolled back over.

Zuko stood there for a moment, uncertain, before getting back in his own bed. Alright then.

\-----------

_ Shit.  _ That had been so embarrassing. Sokka avoided looking at Zuko at breakfast. Now he knew about Sokka’s humiliating night terrors.

To his credit, Zuko had not shown one sign of wanting to bring it up either, so that was good at least.

It had been ten years, and he still had dreams about that terrible night. The flames licking up the door, the sinister smiles of the firebenders. The prince, who was almost certainly dead. It seemed highly unlikely that he would have been able to escape the city, even if Sokka had shown him that tunnel.

As they boarded Appa, bidding the Kyoshi warriors goodbye (Suki had given him a friendly punch on the arm), Sokka pretended not to notice Zuko’s concerned glances. It was easier that way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Saturdays!

They flew for hours before anything remotely interesting happened. Zuko had already settled in for a nap. He’d gotten a lot more used to the flying. It was almost soothing.

“Hey,” Aang said suddenly. “I think it’s going to storm, guys. Look.”

Almost as soon as he had spoken, there was a crash of thunder. Zuko jolted upright.

What had once been a blue and sunny sky was now a mass of storm clouds, with heavy drops starting to fall.

“We’ll camp for the night,” Sokka said decisively. “And then we’ll leave first thing in the morning. Appa can’t fly through this.” A flash of lightning punctuated his statement.

Katara looked worried. “I’ve heard things about this place. The Swamp.”

Zuko peered down below as they approached the ground. A mass of trees and vines spread out as far as the eye could see. “What kind of things?”

“Rumors,” Sokka declared. “Just rumors.”

They made camp underneath a giant tree, with vines descending all around them. The storm raged on. Zuko could barely see two feet in front of him.

“We’ll leave first thing in the morning,” Sokka shouted from his tent. The tents were only spaced out with a few feet between them, but the rain was impossibly loud.

“Goodnight!” Katara hollered back.

Zuko settled in for a good night’s sleep. After all, his nap had been very rudely interrupted.

\-----------

Sokka woke up with a start. He sat up in his tent. The rain was still pouring down; the thunder rumbled, shaking the ground. He’d had another nightmare. This one featured Katara being burned alive by the men in the palace.

Sokka scrambled out of his tent. A walk would clear his head. Or maybe just sitting in the rain would help. Aang and Katara didn’t like it when he did that, saying it was dangerous to sit out in a storm, but sometimes it really was the best thing to get him grounded again.

The rain had eased up marginally as he walked out. Sokka breathed in the cool night air before opening his eyes again. Wait.

The flap to Zuko’s tent was wide open. Sokka stuck his head inside.

The tent was empty. Zuko was gone.

Okay. Don’t panic. Maybe he had to pee. Maybe he’d just gone for a walk, like Sokka had been planning on doing.

“Zuko?” he called out. No response except for the chirping of the crickets. The vines were swinging in the wind, casting shadows across the glade. Sokka didn’t like this at all.

He yanked open Katara’s and then Aang’s tents. “Get up,” he said shortly. “Zuko’s gone.”

Katara sat up, bleary eyed. “What do you mean, gone?” she asked, her voice raspy.

“He’s not in his tent and he’s not nearby. I’m going out to look for him.”

“By yourself?” This came from Aang.

“Yes. I need you two awake in case he comes back.”

Aang and Katara exchanged a look. “Sokka, what if you get lost?”

Sokka gave them what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I won’t. I have excellent tracking skills, remember?” He left before they could give him a response.

Out in the swamp, the animal noises only amplified. Sokka heard screeches coming from all around him; a faint buzzing seemed to follow right behind him. The wind seemed to push him any which way, making it hard to follow a set path. The shadows surrounding him were ever changing, giving the illusion of phantom attackers. His hair was plastered against his forehead, the raindrops rolling down the side of his face.

Sokka wandered through the brush, pushing away branches and avoiding vines that seemed to curl towards him. Up ahead, the moonlight shone upon a figure, facing away from Sokka.

“Zuko!” Sokka called out. “Zuko!”

The figure did not turn. As Sokka approached, he saw exactly what lay in front of him.

Zuko was standing at the edge of a cliff. He started to walk forward, getting dangerously close to the edge. Sokka could see some rocks begin to fall as Zuko approached.

“Zuko!” he screamed desperately. “Get back!” He broke out into a sprint.

As he got closer, Sokka could see that Zuko’s eyes were closed, his face relaxed in a dreamy expression. He couldn’t seem to hear Sokka.

Zuko’s foot went over the edge. Sokka yanked his arm back towards him, pulling Zuko into his arms, away from the edge. Zuko’s eyes snapped open.

“Sokka?” he said uncertainly. “What are you doing?”

Sokka felt his heart racing. The adrenaline that had been coursing through his veins now made him feel woozy, and he laid back onto the ground, keeping one hand circled around Zuko’s wrist.

“How can you even ask me that? What were you doing, Zuko?” he asked, not even bothering to keep the panic from his voice. “What could you possibly have been thinking?”

Zuko seemed to only then notice exactly where they were. “I… where are we? I was dreaming… did I sleepwalk?”

Sokka sighed. “Well, yes, that seems to be the obvious conclusion. We’re really far from camp, Zuko, and you could have died. You almost went over that cliff.”

“Oh.” Zuko stayed silent for a moment. “How did you find me?”

Sokka shrugged. “It was dumb luck. Good thing I did find you.”

“Thank you.”

Sokka looked at him with surprise. “Don’t mention it. We’d better get back to camp. Aang and Katara are probably worried.”

“You have to let go of me first.”

Sokka looked down to where his hand was still clenched around Zuko’s wrist. “Well, pardon me, Your Highness. I have to make sure you’re planning on walking off any cliffs any time soon.”

“I’ll try not to.”

\-----------

Zuko knew he wouldn’t be able to easily forget the look of panic and distress on Sokka’s face when he had pulled him back. Sokka’s eyes had been wild, boring into Zuko’s soul, it seemed like.

He’d been dreaming, Zuko was certain of that. It had been a wonderful dream, actually. He’d been back in the royal palace, except it wasn’t like it had been when he had found Sokka there. It had been full of light and laughter, the rooms packed with guests. There’d been someone calling him, a woman with a warm, inviting voice. She’d told him to follow the sound of her voice. He’d been so close to her when he’d felt someone yanking him back. Sokka pulling him out of the dream.

Sokka was herding him along, ushering him through the brush, back to the camp. He gave a sharp look to the frequent noises coming from the trees around them. He seemed unwilling to take his eyes off of Zuko.

The swamp itself seemed to be whispering to him, telling him to go back, to go find her. Zuko tried to block them out, focusing instead on Sokka’s warm presence behind him.

It only took them ten minutes to get back to the camp. The rain had completely died down by then. Aang and Katara had built a fire. They jumped up once they saw Sokka and Zuko enter the glade.

“What happened?” Katara demanded.

Zuko froze up. He hadn’t even thought about what Aang and Katara would think. He’d almost sleepwalked to his death. How embarrassing.

Sokka seemed to notice his discomfort. “He went to pee and he got turned around,” he said casually. “Totally lost.”

Zuko nodded his assent. “Lost my bearings.”

Katara looked doubtful. “You guys were gone for a long time.”

“It was dark and rainy, Katara. It’s not that weird.” Sokka seemed unwilling to discuss it further. Zuko was grateful.

“Well,” he began. “I’m going back to bed.”

Sokka shook his head emphatically. “You’re sleeping in my tent. No way we’re letting that happen again.”

Aang piped in. “He’s right, Zuko. You can’t go out by yourself anymore if you’re just going to get lost.”

Zuko shot him a nasty look. “It was a one time thing. But yes, I see the logic in it.”

Katara clapped her hands. “Great! That’s settled. I’m going back to bed.”

\-----------

Sokka slept by the entrance to the tent. Now it was impossible for Zuko to leave without him knowing about it. Perfect system, if you asked him.

When he woke up, Zuko’s feet were directly in front of his face. Sokka wrinkled his nose.

“Hey. Get up.” Zuko grunted before rolling back over. Sokka rolled his eyes.

“Zuko.”

“Hnngh.”

Sokka shoved his feet over. Zuko snuffled into his pillow. Sokka picked up his own pillow and launched it at Zuko’s head. It connected with a solid  _ thump _ .

Zuko sat up. “I’m up. And don’t throw pillows at me. That wasn’t nice.”

“Let’s go, Your Highness. Places to go, people to see!”

They packed up the camp in record time. No one said anything, but the feeling of uneasiness was universal.

Sokka took one last look around the glade. Looked like everything and everyone was accounted for. He turned to board Appa, where the rest were waiting for him.

_ Sokka. _

Sokka’s head snapped to look at the trees. The voice had come from over there, deep in the swamp.

_ Sokka, it’s us. It’s your parents. We’re here. Come find us. _

He took a step towards the tree line. It couldn’t be. But what if?

“Sokka?” Zuko looked down at him from Appa’s saddle. “Where are you going?”

Sokka took one last look at the swamp. “Nowhere. I’m coming.”

\-----------

It didn’t take long to get to Omashu. The ride there was silent; Sokka knew everyone was still feeling unsettled from the swamp.

Sokka decided to break the silence. “I, for one, am delighted to be back amongst civilization. It’s been far too long.”

Zuko responded. “So, what’s Omashu like?”

Aang’s eyes lit up. “It’s awesome! Katara and I are going to see a play there and then we’re going to get dinner at my favorite restaurant!”

“Ooh, what play?” Sokka asked. “Would I like it?”

Katara cut in. “You’re not coming, Sokka. This is date night for us.”

“What are me and Zuko supposed to do?” Sokka demanded.

“I’m sure you two can figure it out.” Appa let them off by the city gates and they started to walk towards the city. “Why don’t you go by the market? There’s some nice stuff there.”

“Fine,” Sokka grumbled as the guards opened the gates. “We’ll figure it out. Come on, Zuko.”

Aang and Katara headed off into the city, promising to meet up with them in a few hours. Sokka pulled Zuko along. They were going to have a blast, goddammit, with or without the lovebirds.

“We’re going to the market,” he declared. “Not because Katara said so, but because I want to do some shopping.”

Zuko didn’t say anything, so Sokka had to assume it was okay with him.

The market was bustling; merchants hawked their wares and the streets were packed, with people from all classes browsing the stalls. That was what Sokka liked so much about Omashu; they just weren’t as caught up in class as people were in Ba Sing Se. The nobility mingled with the city’s poorest here.

Zuko picked up a glass animal. “What’s this supposed to be?”

Sokka peered at the object in question. For all intents and purposes, that thing was a shapeless blob. The merchant who sidled up next to them seemed to think otherwise.

“That, my young friend, is an exquisite catgator. Lovingly handcrafted. Would you like to purchase it?” The merchant leered at Zuko; Zuko looked vaguely horrified.

“No, um, I’m just browsing for now-”

“Nonsense! A young man is always in need of fine goods such as these! Perhaps there is a girlfriend who might appreciate a gift such as this?”

Sokka tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress his laughter. Zuko shot him a baleful look.

“No, there’s no one, and I actually have somewhere to be-”

“Oh no, Zuko,” Sokka said innocently. “That thing you had, it got pushed back, remember?”

Zuko could not have looked more panicked. “No, Sokka, I think you’re mistaken. We really must be going.”

The merchant sniffed. “It is clear that my goods are not up to your standards. It matters not; I will not allow those with such clear lack of taste to purchase my fine animals.” He stalked away.

Sokka burst into laughter. Zuko turned to him with a murderous look on his face. “You! I guess you thought that was funny?”

“It was hilarious, actually,” he said solemnly.

Zuko maintained the glare for a moment before he broke into a grin. He shook his head. “You are the worst, you know that right?”

“Oh, I know. Katara makes sure I never forget it.” He took off towards the next stall. Zuko paused for a moment before following after him.

“There are rumors you know.” The woman behind the stall was chatting loudly with her neighbor. “I’ve heard that the princess is alive, too. You know, that Fire Nation princess?”

“Yes, I know. You’ve told me about a million times. I don’t need to hear more of your conspiracy theories.”

Sokka stopped in his tracks before turning to look at Zuko. Zuko’s face had turned white.

“Hey,” Sokka said gently. “Let’s go sit down somewhere.”

Zuko had a wild look in his eyes. “Do you think that’s true?”

“Let’s sit first,” Sokka said firmly. He led Zuko by the elbow to sit on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the square.

“If I’m really the prince, then that was my sister they were talking about.”

“Zuko. The prince’s body was never found, and he was not captured alongside the rest of his family. That is why people think he might be alive. The princess was captured in that ballroom and her body was found with her parents.”

“You heard what they said though.” Zuko’s breathing had settled a little.

“It was a rumor made up by a bored woman with nothing better to do. Azula is dead.” Sokka didn’t want to be harsh, but he had to be blunt about this.

Zuko stared down at his hands for a while. Sokka let him think. This wasn’t something to push. Even he knew that.

Sokka stood up. “I’m going to grab us some food, okay?”

Zuko nodded. “I’ll be here.”

Sokka wandered the market for a bit before he saw a delicious looking noodle shop. He got them both hearty servings.

When he got back, Zuko seemed to have recovered from the shock of earlier. Sokka handed him his bowl.

“So,” Sokka said around a mouth full of noodles, “how did you get the scar?”

Zuko looked surprised by the question, but not offended. That was good. “I mean. I don’t really know? It’s from before I remember.”

Sokka nodded. “What’s it like? Not remembering anything from before?”

Zuko thought for a while before responding. “It was tough growing up. In the orphanage. The other kids would ask where my parents were and I would have to tell them I didn’t know. And the scar definitely didn’t help with the teasing.”

“I’m sorry,” Sokka said, and he really meant it.

“It’s okay,” Zuko replied with a smile. “That’s all in the past. I was so angry about it at the time, but I guess I’ve mellowed out a little. Or I just don’t care about it.”

“You are not mellow, Your Highness. Far from it.”

Zuko responded to that with a kick. Sokka’s noodles almost went flying.

“We have to meet Aang and Katara, don’t we? Let’s go.” Zuko took off towards the inner city, leaving Sokka to gulp down the rest of his noodles.

Aang and Katara were waiting by the archway near the city gates. They were chatting animatedly, presumably about the play.

“Hey, losers!” Sokka hollered from across the street, garnering a few dirty looks from a couple locals. Zuko looked beyond embarrassed; Sokka made the decision to ignore that.

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response,” Katara sniffed, crossing her arms. “And the play was fantastic, thank you for asking.”

Zuko interjected. “Has anyone thought to get lodgings for tonight? I’m guessing we’re not camping.”

Sokka froze. “Oh. Well. Um. That might have been my job.”

“You forgot?” This came from Aang.

“Maybe.”

The four of them went silent for a moment before Zuko burst into laughter. Aang and Katara soon followed.

“Where the hell are we supposed to sleep, Sokka?” Zuko asked, wiping tears from his eyes.

“It might be another camping night?”

Aang and Katara were doubled over. Sokka allowed himself to laugh with them. As they stood there, the sun setting in the distance and the streets beginning to empty, Sokka could honestly say he had never been so content, so happy with his life. If he could capture one moment to live in for the rest of his life, it would be this one.

\-----------

The Kolau mountains were desperately beautiful. The sharp peaks jutting above the skyline, the grassy plains that stretched on and on. Zuko had never felt this way about a place; in a way, he’d never felt this way about the Fire Nation. The heavily industrialized village he’d grown up in had only ever inspired feelings of apathy.

Aang seemed to understand in a way that Sokka and Katara could not. As they’d flown over the peaks, Zuko was struck dumb. Aang had noticed and given him a knowing smile. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

Zuko could only nod.

They picked a campsite a little before dusk. Sokka had declared that as this was their last night before arriving in Ba Sing Se, they deserved a celebration. He’d pulled out some plum wine that he’d apparently been hiding ever since they’d left the Fire Nation.

Zuko took a swig of his wine. Sokka was animatedly telling Aang a story about the first time he’d ridden a mongoose lizard. Aang was eyeing the drink in Sokka’s hand, as if he was trying to figure out how to get it away without Sokka noticing.

Katara gave them a soft smile. “You know,” she said to Zuko, “I was a little worried that they wouldn’t get along when they met. Sokka’s just always been so protective, ever since our parents died.”

“It’s good that he cares.”

“Of course it is. And that’s why I’m so happy they get along so well.” She sat back, taking another sip of her wine. Zuko followed suit.

They sat in silence for a bit, just watching. Zuko’s eyes drifted towards Sokka, who was gesturing wildly with his hands, trying to get some point across. His lips were stained purple, and his eyes glinted with the reflection from the fire. The soft curve of his throat as he tilted his head back-

Okay. That was enough. Time to put an end to that train of thought. No good could come from that.

After a while, once the fire was flickering weakly in the embers, Katara stood up.

“Goodnight. See you guys in the morning.” She headed off, with Aang going off to his own tent shortly after.

Sokka was gazing into the fire. Zuko couldn’t tell if he was still drunk or not.

“Can I talk to you about something?” Sokka asked suddenly.

“Go ahead.” He did look a lot more lucid, Zuko noted.

“Do you like Katara?” Sokka met his gaze.

“What?”

“You know what I mean. Do you have a crush on her? Because if you do, I’ll kick your ass. Aang is my best friend.”

“What are you talking about, Sokka? What could have possibly made you think that?” Zuko said as vehemently as possible. How could he possibly have given that impression?

“You two seemed awfully cozy over there. And you hang on to her every word.” Sokka looked angry now.

“Because we’re friends, Sokka. We talk to each other. I don’t have a crush on everyone I talk to, okay?”

Sokka held his gaze for another moment before dropping his eyes down to his lap. He seemed a little calmer.

“Okay. I believe you.”

Zuko felt weirdly annoyed. “I wouldn't do that to Aang either, you know? He’s my friend too.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I was just being paranoid.” Sokka really did seem sorry.

They sat there a little longer as the fire died down completely. It was almost nice.

\-----------

They were at the ferry station in Half Moon Bay. Appa had flown off to the Eastern Air Temple, where Aang said Appa would check up on the herd of bison there.

The waves rocked the deck of the ferry as the four of them boarded. Zuko breathed in the salt air.

They were almost there. This is what it had all been building up to. It almost felt like this is what his life had been building up to. He could be finding his family here. The thought of that made him feel sick with nerves.

Sokka walked up next to where Zuko was leaning on the railing. He didn’t say anything.

“Things are going to be really different once we get to the city.” Zuko didn’t know what had possessed him to say that.

“Yeah,” Sokka said thoughtfully, “I guess so.”

“I mean, I might be a prince. What’ll happen then?”

“Then,” Sokka said, “you’ll figure it out.”

Zuko didn’t know what else to say. The ferry launched off of the dock, as the crew hurried around the deck.

“I’m really glad I met you,” Sokka said finally.

Zuko glanced over at him. Sokka was staring resolutely ahead, off into the horizon. “Me too.”

They didn’t say anything else, but Zuko noticed the slight upturn of Sokka’s lips.

\-----------

The monorail into the city had a constant  _ thrum _ to it, which evidently had lulled Zuko right to sleep. He sat across from Sokka, in their own compartment. Aang and Katara had claimed the one across the aisle.

Zuko looked impossibly soft as he slept. His dark, shaggy hair was swept across his forehead, and his breathing was quiet and even. The weight that he seemed to carry around at all times did not follow him into sleep.

The countryside passed by in a blur. Zuko slept on. He was beautiful this way.

_ You could tell him. _

No, he couldn’t. Zuko would never forgive him. Sokka could apologize and apologize, but nothing would change the fact that this plan had all been built on lies.

The great wall of Ba Sing Se appeared in the distance, casting a shadow across the farmland. Sokka shook Zuko to wake him up.

“Look.”

Zuko peered out the window, rubbing at his eyes.

“We’re finally here.”

They exchanged a look. Zuko’s golden eyes looked steadily into his own, as if they were passing on a secret message.

_ You could tell him. _

It was there, on the tip of his tongue. Sokka tamped it down. He reached over, grabbed Zuko’s hand, and squeezed, hoping to convey all the things he could not say aloud. 


	5. Chapter 5

It felt like something had shifted with him and Sokka. There was an ease between them that hadn’t been there before.

They’d gotten off the monorail in the upper ring. Aang and Katara were a couple steps ahead of Zuko and Sokka as they made their way to Aang’s house near the palace.

Zuko couldn’t stop himself from sneaking glances at Sokka all the way there. He looked radiant in the mid afternoon light, his wolf tail catching some of the rays. He’d been uncharacteristically quiet since they’d gotten off, though, only giving Zuko half-hearted smiles. Something was up with him.

But there’d been something there on the train, Zuko was sure of it. The look Sokka had given him… there was no other explanation.

Anyways. Ba Sing Se was big. There was no other way to describe it. He’d thought Caldera City was big, back when he’d first arrived, but that place had nothing on Ba Sing Se. The hustle and bustle of the lower rings, the quiet serenity of the upper rings… Zuko was in love.

Aang’s house, once they got there, was clearly one of the grandest in the city. Perks of being the Avatar. It was only a short walk to the palace. The curved golden roof, the peaceful gardens, the lovingly crafted furniture... 

This could be his life. If he really was the prince. If not… then it was back to the lower rings for him.

Zuko wandered back down to the living room, where the other three were waiting.

“Alright,” Sokka said, seeming a little more like himself. “The person we have to get to is Toph. She’s Iroh’s right hand woman and she’s the one vetting all prospective Zukos. If you pass her test, you get an audience with the general himself. You’re really going to have to sell it, okay? She’s not going to bring you to him if she doesn’t think you’re the one.”

Zuko nodded. He could do it.

Aang piped up. “I can probably get her to see us. She lives around here, doesn’t she?”

Katara nodded. “You’re the Avatar. She’ll see you. We’ll all go with, though. Tomorrow morning. Let’s just have a night in tonight.”

She whipped out a bottle of plum wine. Zuko glanced over at Sokka who didn’t really seem like he would be in the mood for a night of drinking. He seemed enthusiastic enough, though.

_ But how well can you really read him? _

Zuko tried to dispel those thoughts from his mind. If he said he was fine, he was fine. No need to preoccupy himself further.

\-----------

The morning light was painful. It was not doing much for Zuko’s hangover.

“Remind me never to drink again,” he grumbled to Aang. Aang could only give him a wince in response.

Zuko gazed up at the magnificent house in front of him. Somehow, it was even bigger than Aang’s.

Sokka gave him a reassuring look before gently grabbing his elbow and tugging him towards the front door. Aang knocked.

A butler opened the door. “Are you expected?”

“No, sir, but I think Ms. Beifong will want to see me. I’m on Avatar business?” Zuko almost snorted at that. Some Avatar business.

The butler considered it for a moment before nodding and stepping aside. “Come in.”

He led them down a winding corridor before stopping in front of an imposing set of doors. He walked in, and announced, “The Avatar and his companions, Ms. Beifong.”

Zuko followed after Aang. Sokka followed, probably planning on grabbing Zuko if he tried to bolt, he thought ruefully.

Toph was leaning against the window on the far side of the room.  _ She’s blind, isn’t she. _ Why had no one bothered to mention that?

“I guess that’s supposed to be Prince Zuko?”

Aang looked a little guilty. “Yes.”

“Not exactly Avatar business, is it?”

“Not in the traditional sense.”

Toph looked amused. She strode over to where Zuko stood.

“Um,” Zuko said. “You can’t see me, right?”

She scoffed. “That doesn’t matter. My butler wouldn’t have even let you in past the door if you didn’t look like the prince. I’m just here to talk to you. So, you really think you’re General Iroh’s nephew?”

“I am.” Zuko tried to project as much confidence as possible into his voice. “I lost my memory after the uprising, but it’s been coming back, slowly.”

Sokka looked at him in thinly veiled surprise. He clearly hadn’t been expecting that.

“Like what?” Toph sounded vaguely interested.

“It’s only vague things. Sometimes I think they might just be dreams. But I remember a passageway leading out of the palace. And I remember a serving boy leading me out. He had blue eyes.”

Sokka looked like he was going to be ill. He had turned deathly pale. Was Zuko really not selling it? He wasn’t lying.

“So sorry, Ms. Beifong,” Sokka said faintly. “I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll step out.” He slipped out of the room.

Aang and Katara looked just as confused as Zuko. Toph didn’t even seem like she’d noticed.

“That’s an interesting story. And my servant tells me you have the scar. Not many people know about that. Unfortunately, the general isn’t seeing anyone else claiming to be his nephew. He says it’s too hard. I can feel your heartbeat, you know. I know you’re not lying. But that’s probably not going to be enough.”

“You don’t think there’s any way he’ll see him?” Aang sounded upset.

“I didn’t say that. There’s a ball tomorrow night at the Earth King’s palace. The general will be there. You’re the Avatar; it’ll be easy for you to get in and bring a couple friends. You’ll have to approach him there.”

“Will he even want to talk to Zuko?” Katara asked.

“He won’t be happy about it. You’ll have to figure out a way to make him listen.” Toph pondered for a moment. “I honestly don’t have much advice beyond that. He’s seen a lot of people, all of whom have been disappointments.”

Aang nodded. “We’ll figure it out. Thank you for your help.”

“I hope you really are the prince. For his sake.”

“Thank you,” Zuko said quietly. “I hope so too.”

\-----------

Sokka felt like he was going to throw up. This couldn’t be happening. 

He heard the front door open. He heard their voices behind him, chatting excitedly.

“You okay, Sokka?” Aang asked, sounding worried.

Sokka gave him a half hearted smile. “Yeah, I’m okay. Don’t know what happened there.”

“Are you sure?” Katara didn’t look convinced.

“I’m fine, Katara. Can I talk to Zuko for a second? In private?” Sokka tried to keep the impatience from his voice.

Zuko looked a little startled. Katara shrugged and walked away with Aang. Zuko sat down on the curb next to Sokka.

“Was that stuff about the dreams true?” Sokka kept his gaze fixed steadily ahead.

“Yeah. I just have those sometimes. I guess I should have told you guys about it. It didn’t really seem significant until now.”

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t fine. Zuko was the prince. The actual prince. The dead prince. He’d actually survived. Looks like Sokka’s efforts hadn’t been for nothing after all. He’d saved Zuko that day.

He was really the prince. And Iroh was really his uncle. He was going to find his family. This wasn’t a scheme anymore.

Zuko spoke. “You know, at first I wasn’t really sure about the prince stuff. It just seemed like such a stretch. But this feels right. I think this is where I’m supposed to be.”

“You are the prince,” Sokka said determinedly. “You are. And we are going to get you to your uncle.” If it was the last thing he ever did.

Zuko gave him a soft smile. “Thanks for the confidence, Sokka.”

“Hey, losers. You’ve had long enough. We have to go shopping.” Katara was standing over them.

“Shopping?” Sokka was lost.

“You didn’t tell him?” Katara gave Zuko an exasperated look.

Zuko looked sheepish. “We’re going to a ball tomorrow night. At the palace. That’s where the general’s going to be.”

“And we need new clothes!” Aang seemed especially excited by this.

“Well,” Sokka said, standing up, “that sounds like a blast. You ready, Zuko?” He offered a hand out to help Zuko up.

“Yeah.” Zuko took his hand. “Sounds okay.”

\-----------

Katara seemed to know every clothing shop in the city. She’d picked out a navy blue outfit that she said she’d had her eye on for a while. Zuko asked Aang why he wasn’t getting anything.

“I’m the Avatar, Zuko,” he’d said, affronted. “I have my special Avatar robes for tonight.”

They were in a decadent shop in the upper ring now. A tailor was taking Zuko’s measurements, muttering about how irresponsible it was to wait until the day before. Zuko tuned him out.

He gazed across the shop to where Sokka was getting his own suit fitted. He still had that solemn look on his face he’d worn all day, with none of his usual good humor. Zuko hadn’t thought he would miss it that much.

Katara seemed to notice his concern. “He has been a little off today, hasn’t he?”

Zuko nodded. He didn’t really know what else to say.

“He’ll get over it. Whatever it is.” She hesitated for a second, as if she were going to say something but decided against it.

Zuko looked down at the robes he was being fitted in. They were a dark, crimson red, “fit for a firebender”, the tailor had declared.

Sokka had been outfitted in a navy blue, just like Katara. The cloth draped over his body, showing off the curve of his hips-

Sokka looked over and caught Zuko’s eye. Zuko flushed and looked down at the ground.

_ Shit. _ He was so obvious, wasn’t he? Sokka was probably just ignoring this stupid crush of his to avoid embarassing him. It was almost laughable how desperately he  _ wanted  _ Sokka. There was really no denying it anymore.

But sometimes… sometimes it seemed like Sokka could maybe feel the same way. Sometimes it felt like there was something there as well.

Wishful thinking, Zuko reminded himself. Wishful thinking.

\-----------

Zuko was upstairs. He’d already turned in for the night. It had been dark for hours now.

Sokka stood in the kitchen. He’d gone in to get some water; now, he was just gazing out the window.

Katara walked in. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to.

“I know, Katara.”

“If you don’t tell him, I will. Aang feels the same way. He’s our friend, Sokka. Our good friend. We’re not going to do this anymore. He deserves to know the truth.”

“You don’t know everything.”

“What don’t I know, then?” Katara’s voice was quiet, but the anger was very palpable.

“He is the prince.” Sokka gripped the counter a little harder.

“Yeah, I know. That’s the whole plan. Pass him off as the prince so that you can collect the reward money. But you’ve convinced him that this is the real thing and he’s really going to find his family.”

“Do you remember the night of the revolution? When we were working in the kitchens?” Sokka stared past her, into the next room, rather than meet her eyes.

Katara nodded.

“I snuck up to the ballroom. I was there when they came in. I took the prince to the passageway in the library. The one you showed me. And I told him to follow that passage out of the palace. I thought he died, though.” Sokka turned to her, pleading. “They had overrun the city, Katara. I thought it was impossible that they’d let him live, even if he did make it out into the city. But Zuko remembers that. He remembers the passageway and he remembers me.”

It was a while before Katara spoke. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sokka turned back to stare out the window. “I don’t know. I was scared, I guess. I didn’t want to think about it.”

“So, you’re being serious. He is the actual prince. The one you helped escape.”

“Yes.”

“Wow. We’re actually doing this then. We’re reuniting him with his family.”

Sokka gave an emphatic nod. “If it’s the last thing I do.”

Katara gave him an appraising look. “You know, you said his scar was on the wrong side.”

“Obviously my memory isn’t  _ that  _ great.”

She laughed. “Are you going to tell Zuko it was you?”

“No. Not yet. I don’t want… I don’t want him to get the wrong idea. Like I set this up.”

“You did set this up.”

“Thank you for reminding me of that. I’ll tell him after he meets his uncle.”

“Do what you want, Sokka. Just remember that the longer you wait, the more likely he’ll react badly to it. And I think you two are good for each other.”

Sokka looked at her, surprised. “What do you mean?”

She shrugged. “I’ll go tell Aang, okay? And I’ll tell him not to tell Zuko about it.” She walked off towards the stairs. “Sokka?”

“Yeah?”

“You can talk to me about these things, you know.”

Sokka smiled. “I know. And thank you, by the way. For understanding, I guess.”

“You got it.”


	6. Chapter 6

Zuko gave himself a once over in the mirror. Aang had shouted up the stairs that they were leaving in five minutes.

Tonight was the night. He was either going to meet his uncle, or he wasn’t. What if the general took one look at him and laughed? Even worse, what if the general was his uncle, but he was a horrible person?

They’d spent the day lazing around Aang’s house, gorging themselves on all of Ba Sing Se’s fine cuisine. No one had brought up the palpable tension in the air as the ball approached. The anticipation was almost painful.

For better or for worse, this was what it had all been leading up to.

Zuko took a deep breath and stepped out.

\-----------

Sokka glanced out the window. The moon was high in the sky.

“Zuko! We’re going to be late!” Sokka called from the bottom of the stairs, just as Zuko stepped out of his room.

Zuko’s hair was up, held up by a golden hairpiece. Sokka had never seen him like that before. The fiery red cape billowed out behind him and made him seem almost otherworldly. The striking image was belied a little by Zuko’s slightly red cheeks.

Sokk knew he was gaping, but he somehow didn’t care enough to stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aang and Katara exchange a glance.

Zuko walked down the stairs. He seemed a little unsure of himself, but when he met Sokka’s eyes, he smiled, as if they were sharing an inside joke.

_ He’s beautiful. _

Sokka cleared his throat and held out his arm. “Ready, Your Highness?”

Zuko took his arm. “Of course. Just a little nervous.”

They started out the door, Aang and Katara trailing behind, whispering among themselves. “Don’t be. You’re finding your family tonight. I promise.”

Zuko looked at him, surprised. “If you say so.”

“I do,” Sokka said determinedly, not even daring to look at the boy next to him, for fear of falling apart.

\-----------

People were pouring into the Earth Palace. Lanterns lit up the whole palace, and the lively music could be heard drifting out the palace doors. The soft noise of the crickets melded with the laughter and chatter filling the courtyard. The ladies were decked out in their finest jewels, while the gentlemen had showed up in their nicest clothes. Servants scurried around the courtyard, offering up all kinds of delicacies. A cool breeze ruffled Zuko’s hair.

This was incredible. The extravagance of it all… It was fit for royalty.

Aang and Katara were already inside. They’d been whisked away by the Earth King’s personal valet, on account of the Earth King wishing to see the Avatar immediately.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it,” Sokka said. He seemed just as awestruck as Zuko. “Incredible.”

Zuko could only nod. Sokka began to walk slowly towards the doors. Zuko felt glued to that spot.

“Aren’t you coming?” Sokka had turned back, questioning.

“Yeah,” he said. “Just… taking it all in.”

Sokka nodded, understanding. “Let’s go. I bet it’s even better inside.”

And it was. The music seemed to rise up towards the ceilings, the dancers keeping time, twirling across the floor. The Earth King’s throne was empty, though.

Zuko craned his neck. The general was here, he knew that. But where?

“We have plenty of time,” Sokka murmured in his ear. “We’ll find him. Let’s enjoy ourselves in the meantime.” He held out his hand.

Zuko took it, uncertain. “You want to dance?”

Sokka’s smile shone brightly. “Yeah.”

“With me?”

“Yup.” He pulled Zuko towards the dance floor. He turned to face Zuko, placing his hands on his waist.

“Sokka… you know I can’t dance.”

“Neither can I.” And they spun off.

Sokka was laughing as they made their way across the floor, the other dancers giving them dirty looks. Zuko couldn’t stop himself from breaking out into a grin.

They were  _ terrible. _ But it was so  _ fun. _

Sokka spun Zuko and then dipped him, promptly dropping him to the floor.

“Oh my god, are you okay-”

Zuko wheezed in laughter. “Yeah, I’m fine, you should see your face.”

Sokka shook his head. “Come on. Let’s go get some air,” pulling Zuko to his feet.

They went out to the balcony, which was empty, save for a giggling couple in the corner. They seemed a little too inebriated to notice anything around them anyways.

Sokka plopped down on the edge, patting the spot next to him for Zuko to join.

They watched the stars. It was nice. Zuko had to ask, though.

“How are you so sure I’m the prince?”

Sokka gave him a long look. “Gut feeling. I can just sense these things.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “That’s not an explanation.”

Sokka shrugged. “Why, you don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that. I’ve had a while to wrap my head around it, but still. It’s hard to even imagine.”

Sokka was giving him a very intense look. “Well, do you trust me?”

Somehow, they’d moved closer together while they’d been talking. Zuko’s fingers were almost touching Sokka’s.

“Yes,” Zuko whispered. There was something there in Sokka’s eyes, something so very captivating.

Sokka looked a little uncertain now. Zuko leaned and, very softly, pressed his dry lips to Sokka’s.

He pulled away, slowly, opening his eyes. Sokka’s lips chased his.

Zuko let out a soft breath. Sokka’s eyes met his, and he placed his hand behind Zuko’s head before pulling him back in, deepening the kiss.

Zuko made a throaty noise, unable to stop himself. He felt Sokka smile against his lips.

Sokka’s hands threaded through Zuko’s hair, pulling him in closer.

It felt like ages before they went up for air. Sokka’s eyes were dark, very dark.

Zuko felt really out of breath. “That was-”

“Yeah.” Sokka was grinning. “I’ll… how about I get us some drinks?”

“Okay,” Zuko said, leaning back. “Sounds good.”

Sokka got up and tripped on his way to the door. Zuko laughed and Sokka gave him a rude gesture.

Zuko looked up at the stars. This is what happiness felt like.

\-----------

Sokka couldn’t keep the dopey smile off of his face.  _ They kissed. _ He felt like he was floating. He gave a beatific nod to the group of ladies he passed on his way to the drink table; they just looked a little confused.

Zuko kissed him. Zuko liked him. Enough to kiss him, at least.

Sokka poured out two drinks. Plum wine. Nice. He glanced at the ballroom, at the couples twirling across the floor. Huh. This was the only ball he’d been to since the uprising ten years ago.

He heard someone walk up behind him. A voice said behind him, “The general’s here. He’s the man by the pillar over there.”

Sokka turned to see Toph behind him. She indicated with her head. “This is your best shot.”

Sokka looked down at the drinks in his hand. Guess that would have to wait. “Thanks. For everything.”

She smiled up at him. “You’re welcome. For what it’s worth, I do think he’s the prince.”

Sokka nodded and started to weave himself across the dance floor. He could see the back of the general’s head, a couple feet away.

“General Iroh!” He called out. The man turned.

He gave Sokka a dubious look. “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” Sokka said. This was the moment of truth. “I’ve found your nephew. Prince Zuko. He’s alive. I can take you to him, sir.”

Iroh stared for a moment, considering. Finally, he spoke. “What did you say your name was?”

“Sokka, sir. Of the Southern Water Tribe.”

Iroh turned to look piercingly into Sokka’s eyes. “Sokka. Of course. I’ve heard of you, you know. Interviewing across the Fire Nation to find yourself a Zuko look-a-like. You think these things don’t reach me here in Ba Sing Se?”

Sokka felt the blood drain from his face. “I can assure you-”

Iroh held up his hand. “Please, save your breath. I am an old man. I don’t have time for crooks like you. Forget about the reward money.”

“Sir, please-” Sokka knew he was begging, knew how pathetic he sounded. He had to make him understand he had to.

Iroh looked angry now. “Do you take me for a fool? I will not be a part of this farce. Please, leave me.” He strode off towards the doors.

Sokka’s shoulders sank in defeat. He turned. Maybe he could still get that drink.

Zuko was standing behind him. His eyes were wide in shock.

_ No, no, no, no.  _ “Zuko, please,” Sokka said desperately, reaching out. “I can explain-”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Zuko whispered. He backed up.

“No, you don’t understand, you are the prince-”

“Please, just stop,” Zuko begged. He had turned now, and was walking towards the doors.

Sokka grabbed his arm. “Zuko, can we please just go somewhere, anywhere, I’ll explain everything.”

Zuko wrenched his arm out of his grasp. “Don’t follow me,” he said shortly, before walking out of Sokka’s life.

\-----------

Zuko stormed out of the palace, his mind racing and his hands clenched into fists. He could still hear the faint music of the ball, and there were a few couples out in the courtyard, giggling in the deep shadows.

How could he-

He’d thought-

Why-

The betrayal settled deep within his gut. Had Sokka been pretending this whole time? Making him think there could be something there, that he could trust Sokka-

His cheeks burned with shame. He tried to stop the tears from coming. He looked up at the stars inside, seemingly mocking him in their twinkling delight.

He heard someone walk up next to him.

“I don’t want to talk to him. Or you.” Aang and Katara must have known. There was no way they couldn’t have known.

“Oh, dear brother. You don’t want to catch up?”

Zuko’s head snapped to look at the hooded figure next to him.

“Who-” Someone grabbed his arms and wrenched them behind his back.

The girl drew her hood back. She looked familiar, so familiar-

“It’s me, Zuko. Your sister? I know you lost your memory and all, but honestly.”

“Azula?” This couldn’t be happening, this couldn’t be happening-

She rolled her eyes. “Very good. Now, shall we?”

“Shall we?”

One of the figures behind him shifted. A sharp pain blossomed at the back of his skull, and everything went black.

The last thing he saw was Azula crouching over him, giving him a disdainful look.

\-----------

Sokka sat on the balcony where they’d kissed, his head in his hands. There was no way to fix this, of that he was certain. What he had done was unforgivable, he knew that.

But what they’d had, sitting here-

No. He’d ruined any possible chance he could have had with Zuko. He would somehow reunited Zuko with his uncle and then Sokka would get out of his life, before he could cause anymore damage-

“Sokka!” Katara was standing over him, panting. He hadn’t even noticed her come up. Aang followed closely behind.

“Something… something’s happened.”

“What?” He didn’t try to mask the annoyance in his voice. Couldn’t they see that he kind of wanted to be alone?

“A couple guests saw someone knock Zuko out before a couple people in masks took him away!”

The world seemed to spin. Sokka sprang to his feet. “And no one did anything?”

“They weren’t benders, Sokka, they didn’t know what to do-”

“Bullshit. Neither am I, but that’s not going to stop me. Let’s go. We have to find him.” He strode off towards the gates.  _ Breathe, Sokka, breathe. _

“Sokka, we don’t know where they went.”

Sokka turned to her wildly. “We better figure it out then, Katara! They could be killing him as we speak! Did you even think of that?”

It was Aang who responded, his voice very calm. “We can figure it out, Sokka, we just need to stop and make a plan. Appa can track Zuko, remember? We’ll go get him, and he can find Zuko for us.”

“It’s going to be okay, Sokka,” Katara said, her hands moving placatingly. “We’ll find him.”

Sokka tried to slow his breathing. They were going to find him. They were. And then Sokka was going to tell him, really tell him, exactly how he felt. “Okay. But we’re going now.”

It was going to be okay. It had to be.


	7. Chapter 7

Zuko’s head was  _ pounding. _

The ground beneath him was cold and hard. As he opened his eyes, he could see the faint flicker coming from a lantern in the middle of the room he was in. 

Not a room. A cave.

He sat up, wincing at the pain in his head. He probably had a concussion.

“You’re awake?”

Zuko jumped to his feet and promptly bashed his head on the top of the cave, swearing.

“No, it’s okay,” the raspy voice said soothingly. “My name is Iroh. You were at the ball weren’t you? With that Water Tribe boy?”

Zuko didn’t sit back down, but he did relax a little. “You’re the general?”

“I am. You were the one he was going to pass off as my nephew?” The general was sitting on the other side of the lantern, the faint light illuminating his tired face.

“We weren’t… it wasn’t like that. I’m not trying to trick anyone,” Zuko said sullenly. The mention of Sokka made his stomach drop.

Iroh said nothing.

Zuko shifted a little. “Where are we?”

“I was approached by someone claiming to be the Princess Azula. I assume you were too?”

Zuko nodded. “She said she was my sister.”

“My niece did not escape that palace. Until then, I was sure of it. But the things she said-” Iroh hesitated for a second “- they were things only she could have known. Now, I am not sure.”

“Why would she do this?” 

“I do not know.”

They sat in silence for what felt like ages. In the dark, it was hard to tell. Finally, Zuko spoke up.

“I wasn’t trying to trick anyone.” Zuko said it with new determination. It felt important that he clarify that. “I can’t remember anything from before I was nine years old. I was found around the same time as the uprising, and I do look like the prince. It was all just on the off chance I  _ was  _ Zuko, you know? I just wanted to find my family.”

Iroh continued to stare into the lantern. “I understand the longing for your family. It is a familiar feeling to me. I do not blame you too much for that.”

Zuko sat down, slumping against the wall. “It’s just that… sometimes I can remember things. I dream about them, but I’m pretty sure they’re memories. And I guess I wanted to believe that my family was out there, which is why Sokka convinced me so easily.” He let out a short laugh. “I’m pretty dumb when it comes down to it, huh?”

Iroh lifted his gaze to look at Zuko. “You are not dumb, young man. What were these dreams like?”

“Just little things. I think I remember some things about that last ball. Sometimes I see my mother’s face, too. Feeding the turtle ducks with her… she didn’t like it when I threw the bread at them.”

Iroh had sat up at the mention of the turtle ducks. “You fed turtle ducks with your mother?”

Zuko reddened. “Silly. I know.”

“Why did you throw the bread at them? Think.” Iroh was looking at him intently, his eyes glimmering in the lamp light.

Zuko racked his brain. “Because… because I was making fun of someone? My sister, I think?”

Iroh sat back, looking stunned. “Your mother told me about that.”

“What?” Zuko asked, uncertainly.

“Ursa told me how Zuko, how  _ you _ , were pretending to be Azula feeding the turtle ducks.”

“You’re saying I  _ am  _ the prince?” 

Iroh walked over to Zuko, grabbing his shoulders. “You are my nephew! You are Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation!” 

The metal door at the front of the cave slid open. Four men in masks marched in, two of them grabbing Iroh’s arms and pinning them behind his back. The other two grabbed Zuko and began to haul him out the door.

“Wait!” he cried out, struggling to get out of their vice grip. Iroh looked similarly desperate to escape the guards pinning him down.

“Sorry, Your Highness,” the guard behind him purred into his ear. “We’re taking you to see the princess.”

With a rough shove, they were out the door and marching down the dark hallway.

\-----------

“Wait!”

Sokka didn’t stop. Katara stuck an arm out in front of him. “It’s Toph.”

Toph caught up to them, panting. “Iroh’s missing.”

Sokka turned to her. “You think they took him and Zuko to the same place?”

“It was the royalists. It had to be. We can’t go to the Earth King. They have an understanding with him. He’s too weak to really defy them.”

“Appa can find him. He can find Zuko, and Iroh will probably be with him,” Aang said.

Toph nodded. “I’ll help you. Iroh’s the one who took me in when I ran away from my parents. I owe it to him.”

It took an hour for Appa to find the camp. They landed on a cliff above.

Guards milled around outside the opening of a cave. Directly into the cliff face, right below them. There were around twenty tents set up around the entrance.

Sokka clenched his jaw. They had to get in there.

“I heard about a royalist camp out here, but I thought they were just rumors,” Katara said quietly.

“We have to get him out. Toph and Katara, you two distract the guards. Me and Aang are going in,” Sokka said. His fingers brushed up against his boomerang.

“No,” Katara said sharply. “We’re not doing that, Sokka. We’re going to wait until nighttime, and in the meantime, we’re going to come up with an actual plan. Not one you just came up with on the spot.”

He tightened his grip on his boomerang. Aang gave him a worried look.

“Fine,” Sokka said, after a moment. “We’ll wait. A couple hours. But we’re not waiting any longer than that. We’re getting him out as soon as possible.”

\-----------

Azula was waiting for him in a tiny room. No windows - they were clearly underground. At least six guards lined the walls of the room. She clearly wasn’t taking any chances.

No one bothered to tie him up or put any kind of restraints on him. Zuko supposed they knew how futile ropes were against fire so they just hadn’t bothered. It was unlikely he could outbend a room full of firebenders anyways.

Azula met his gaze. She had a slight smirk on her face. Zuko tried not to let any fear, trying to match her confidence.

“My people have been watching you for quite some time,” she began. Her golden eyes bore steadily into Zuko’s. “I’ve been looking for you, brother.”

“You’re really my sister?” Zuko asked, tentatively. “How did you escape?”

Azula nodded. “I almost didn’t. There were loyalists in the palace though.” Her fist clenched. “Those insurgents… they tried to kill me. One of our father’s men switched me out with a servant girl. I still don’t know how he pulled that off. She was killed. Not me.”

Zuko swallowed. He had to approach this carefully. “Where have you been? And what do you want with me?” Why did you kidnap me, he thought silently.

Her smile turned predatory. “I…  _ we  _ have been building up the resistance. To take back our rightful throne from those rebels who murdered our mother and father. We started with only a few of our father’s men. But the movement has grown. This has been ten years in the making!” She seemed almost crazed now.

That was… Zuko didn’t know what to think about that. “You still haven’t answered my question. What do you want with me?”

She had begun pacing around the room. “Don’t you see? I want you to join me, brother! We will burn down this so-called Fire Nation and build it anew!” 

“What makes you think I’m your brother?” Zuko did not like the way this conversation was going. Azula seemed to be hanging on by a loose thread.

She stopped her pacing and turned to him, a manic look in her eyes. “We’ve been watching you, Zuko. It really wasn’t that hard. All it took was finding that earthbender, the one who pushed you off the cliff, into the sea… It was easy to make her talk, with our talents. Then it was only a matter of time before we tracked you down to the orphanage. I thought about contacting you then… but I was advised against it. Our people told us that you were traveling to Ba Sing Se. To our uncle.”

Zuko swallowed uncomfortably. How many people had been watching him, all this time?

She continued on, vibrating with excitement. “It seemed so easy… to take you both at the same time. Two birds with one stone. My family, together again. We can take back our birthright now, avenge our parents.”

Zuko paused for a moment before speaking. He moved toward her, trying to speak as calmly as possible. “Azula… what you’re asking for is impossible. I understand, I really do. Of course I’ve thought about what I would do to those bastards. But what you’re asking for is impossible. We can’t take down a whole nation and I’m not going to waste my life trying.”

Two bright spots of red had risen on Azula’s cheeks. She was shaking now, her hands clenched into fists. “I have to assume you are simply overwhelmed now and you will soon see the foolishness of what you just said. If you do not join me, you are a traitor to your country and to your family.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “If you do not join me, I will kill you. Do not doubt that, brother. But first, I will kill your little friends. I might not be able to get to the Avatar, but that Water Tribe boy will be easy to kill.”

No, no, no. Shit. “Azula,” he pleaded. “Please. You have to understand.”

She turned away from him. “Take him away.”

Two of the guards grabbed him from behind.

“You will understand, Zuko. I know you will.”

They marched him back down the hallway.

\-----------

Sokka crouched behind a boulder. Fifty feet between him and the entrance to the cave. Aang was stooped down next to him.

“Okay, just to be clear, Sokka, you’re not going to engage with the guards right? Leave that to me.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah, for sure,” Sokka muttered, peeking out above the rock. Any minute now.

“Alright, just making sure. I know that you care a lot about Zuko, and I’m just a little worried that you might let your emotions-”

“Aang. I’m fine.” Sokka gave him a leveling look. “I know the plan.”

Aang opened his mouth to speak, only for a shout to come from the camp. Katara must have started.

The water rushed into the cave. Tendrils of river water flung the guards aside and more came rushing out of the cave.

“Let’s go,” Sokka said. He took off in a run.

He felt the ground shudder beneath him. Toph must have started.

Past the threshold. He heard Aang breathing heavily behind him.

The torches on the wall gave off a flickering light.

“Toph said she could sense them from outside. Two rights and a left, and then it’s the fifth door on the right,” Aang said.

Sokka nodded. No sign of any guards in the passageways. Just wet floors indicating Katara’s handiwork.

A cell door flung open and two guards came rushing out. Looked like he spoke too soon.

Aang shot two blasts of water out at them, back into the cell and locked the door. Sokka rolled his eyes.

“Looks like Katara missed a spot.”

Aang smiled. “Good thing you have me.”

\-----------

Zuko stared at the wall. It had been hours. Iroh appeared to be meditating.

There was a loud crash, and Zuko started. The cell door flung open.

It was Sokka and Aang. Sokka strode across the room to Zuko.

“I’m sorry,” he said, gripping Zuko’s shoulders. He seemed to be checking Zuko over for injury at the same time, his eyes roaming up and down his body. “And I have so much to say to you, but we have to go. They can’t hold off the guards that much longer.”

Zuko felt like his throat was stopped up. Nothing would come out. He chose to nod instead.

Sokka gave a curt nod to Iroh, who had been helped to his feet by Aang. “Let’s go.”

Aang and Sokka seemed to know their way around the cave passages, somehow. To Zuko it just seemed like a maze.

The passageway led out into an open hall. Up ahead, Zuko could see the light coming in through the cave entrance.

And just as soon as he’d seen it, Azula stepped out, directly in front of the opening.

A moment passed, where no one said anything. Then, with a blast of water, Katara shot through the entrance of the cave, slamming Azula in the back and across the room.

And then, of course, all hell broke loose.

Guards came pouring out of the side entrance Azula had just emerged from. Zuko took a breath, and then let the flames come pouring out of his fingertips.

Iroh seemed to have had the same idea. Slowly, the number of guards diminished, but more came pouring out.  _ Where the hell are they even coming from? _

Katara was holding off her own cohort of guards. “Toph’s outside!” she shouted. “She’s taking care of the benders outside!”

Aang and Azula were locked in a fight, across the room from where Zuko was, moving too fast for him to even see. Zuko focused his attention back on the approaching guards.

_ Shit.  _ Even with both him and Iroh fighting, there were just too many. They were getting closer and closer.

He heard Aang shout from across the room.  _ Please let him be okay _ , he thought silently. The fire benders were close to breaking through their defenses, he could feel it.

Zuko felt someone slam into him, sending them both flying.

“Sokka!” Katara screamed from across the room.

_ Sokka. _

\-----------

It was either him or Zuko. 

And that wasn’t much of a choice at all. 

Sokka felt the searing hot pain pass through his chest - and then nothing.

Sokka had seen Azula stun Aang with a fiery blast - not enough to injure him, it seemed, but just enough to take his focus away for a moment. And that was all she’d needed to direct that second blast towards Zuko.

He vaguely felt the pain in his shoulder as he fell to the ground. He thought he heard a scream from Katara.

But that might have been his imagination.

\-----------

Zuko landed on the ground with a heavy thud. Sokka was…

Sokka lay on the ground a couple feet away. His tunic was sizzling and he didn’t stir.

“Sokka!” Zuko crawled over. “Sokka!”

Aang paused across the room, turning his head slightly to take in the sight before him. And then, Zuko noted with shock, he began to  _ glow _ .

Aang’s face was contorted in fury as he started to rise in the air. Below, only Katara seemed calm. The guards began to stumble back, and Azula herself had ceased to fight.

His eyes and arrow had begun to glow as he rose. Zuko had never been scared of Aang before, but then again - he’d never seen the Avatar State.

With a roar, Aang let loose a piercing gust of wind that cut down every guard in the room. Zuko noticed that it never went near him or Katara.

Azula lay flat on her back in the center of the room. Aang hovered above.

“Aang,” Katara said warningly. “We have to get Sokka out of here. Let her go.”

Aang turned his piercing blue eyes on her. He seemed to consider it for a moment, before the light went out and he fell to the ground.

Katara was there to catch him. “Zuko, we have to get to Appa and get them out of here.”

Zuko nodded, his voice catching in his throat. He grunted as he lifted Sokka, draping him over his shoulder. He was  _ heavy. _

Katara’s face was tight as she started towards the door, staggering under Aang’s weight.

It seemed like forever before they reached the crevice they’d entered through, the light shining in. Aang’s outburst had seemingly reached beyond just that room; they didn’t see a single guard on their way out.

“Toph!” Katara yelled. “Help us get them out!” She was panting, the sweat dripping down. Zuko figured he probably looked the same.

Toph’s head popped into sight. “You guys okay?”

“We’re fine,” Zuko called out. “But we need to get Aang and Sokka back to the city.”

“Aang’s going to be fine,” Katara said quietly. She looked on the verge of tears. “But I don’t… I don’t know what’s going to happen to Sokka. And I don’t have any water to heal him with.” She cut off with a sob.

Toph had begun to move the earth underneath them to carry them up towards the entrance. Zuko set Sokka down on the moving ground beneath them. His eyes were shut and the burn on his chest had turned a deep, deep crimson.

“He’s breathing,” Zuko said determinedly. “He’ll be okay. He has to be okay.”

Toph froze momentarily when she saw Sokka, before clenching her jaw and depositing them on top of Appa.

Aang had woken up with a bleary look on his face sometime between the time they’d gotten on Appa and when they’d set off for the city.

“Here,” Zuko said, before handing him some of their food. He didn’t take his eyes off of Sokka, whose head was resting in Zuko’s lap. “Eat this.”

Aang obliged him. His eyes rested on Sokka. “Is he going to be okay?” He, too, sounded like he was about to cry.

Zuko stroked Sokka’s hair, soft between his fingers. “Yes.”

Maybe if he said it enough, he could make it come true.

\-----------

Sokka felt the cool sheets beneath him first, then the faint breeze that drifted across the room.

He sat up, wincing slightly as he felt a twinge of pain in his shoulder.

He was in his room at Aang’s house. Aang himself was curled up in a chair across the room.

“Aang?” Sokka called out, his voice raspy. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Aang?”

Aang opened his eyes blearily, before he jumped up. “Katara! He’s awake!”

Sokka heard a thump from across the house. Katara came racing in.

“Oof!” Katara had launched herself at him. Her and Aang were both crying. Sokka felt vaguely embarrassed.

“Watch the shoulder, Katara,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” she said, offering him a watery smile. “We were just worried. We didn’t know if you were ever going to wake up.”

“Where’s Zuko?” Sokka didn’t like the way their faces fell after that question.

“He… he hasn’t stopped by yet.” Katara hesitated. “I think it might be best to give him some space for now. It’s only been four days since the cave. And Azula.”

Sokka felt his throat tightening up. He wished they would leave.

Aang seemed to read his mind, and for that, Sokka was grateful. “We’ll check on you later, Sokka, okay? There’s some lunch on the table.” He motioned for Katara to follow him out.

Sokka buried his face into his pillow. Might be easier to just smother himself now.

Aang poked his head back in a couple hours later. “There’s someone here to see you, Sokka.”

Sokka sat up. “Zuko?” His heart pounded.

General Iroh walked in. “No,” he said with a smile.

Sokka slumped back down. “Hello again.”

Iroh took a seat by the window. “I am sorry. Truly. And I am thankful to you, for restoring my nephew to me. I know Zuko is thankful as well”

“Yeah, well, no problem,” Sokka muttered. “You could tell your nephew to come thank me himself.”

Iroh chuckled at that. “Unfortunately, my nephew is a bit too stubborn to listen to me on such things.”

His laugh died out. An awkward pause. Sokka wondered if it would be rude to just walk out.

Iroh cleared his throat. “I actually came for something else. I believe I owe you something.”

Sokka cocked his head.

“The reward money,” Iroh said tentatively. “That is what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

Sokka scowled. “You really think I’m still after that?”

Iroh looked uncomfortable. “That’s why you brought him here, isn’t it?”

Sokka turned over. “Yeah, well, I guess things changed, didn’t they?”

Iroh stood up. “I take it you don’t want the money?”

“No.”

Iroh opened the door. “Thank you. Again. And I am glad you are recovering swiftly.” 

He stepped out and Sokka was alone again.

\-----------

The turtle ducks had congregated in front of Zuko. Uncle had said that he’d imported them from the Fire Nation a while ago. To remember.

He heard someone approach from behind. Uncle.

“He didn’t take the reward money,” Uncle said gravely. “He turned it down.”

Zuko didn’t say anything.

“I just thought you should know.” Zuko heard him turn and walk away.

“Wait,” he called out. “Is- is he okay?”

Uncle stopped. “Yes,” he said. “He is recovered now.”

Zuko looked down at his hands. “That’s… that’s good.”

Zuko could feel Uncle staring at him from behind. “It is good,” he said finally, before leaving.

The turtle ducks seemed to be staring right into Zuko’s soul.

\-----------

Sokka woke up to a knock on the door. Aang and Katara were out. He was staying at Aang’s house indefinitely. He swung his legs off the couch and made his way to the door.

Zuko was on the other side of the door.

Sokka froze. “Um. Hi.”

Zuko didn’t meet his eye. He was looking slightly past Sokka. “Can we talk?”

Sokka stumbled aside to let Zuko in. “Yes. Of course. Yes. Come in.”

Zuko stepped hesitantly into the house. He didn’t say anything.

Sokka shifted nervously. “Do you want to go in the garden? Or we could talk in here, if you want. It doesn’t really matter.”  _ Stop babbling, Sokka _ .

Zuko gave him a tentative smile. “The garden is fine.” He walked out the side door.

Sokka followed him out and sat next to him by the stream, where Zuko had evidently decided to have their talk.

Sokka fidgeted next to him. He didn’t want to start, but at the same time, he had so much to say. He contented himself with watching the koi fish swimming past their feet.

It was a while before Zuko spoke. “I remember now. Everything, pretty much.”

Sokka started at that. “You mean… from before? From when you were a kid?”

Zuko nodded. “Yeah. I’ve been talking with my uncle a lot. It’s all been coming back, the more we talk.” He hesitated, before continuing. “Turns out, my family wasn’t all that great. At least, not like I thought.”

Sokka didn’t say anything, only giving Zuko a nod to confirm that he was listening, he was here.

“My father… wasn’t the best. He was the one who gave me the scar.”

Sokka whipped his head around to look at Zuko. “He what?”

“He burned me. A couple weeks before the ball. For defying him.”

Sokka tried to put as much conviction as possible into his voice. “I’m sorry. That you went through that. You were just a kid.”

The koi fish continued to swim beneath them. Sokka wished he could tell what was going through Zuko’s mind.

“Azula’s going to prison. I don’t know if Aang told you.” Zuko’s voice was rough.

“He did.”

Zuko seemed a little more shaken by this. “I’m going to visit her. I know that she’s not all there, but she’s my sister. I have to try.”

The question blurted out before Sokka could stop it. “Are you happy?”

Zuko seemed a little surprised. He took a moment before answering. “Well, yeah. I could have gone without the crazy sister part, but at least I have a family now. I have my uncle, you know?”

Sokka nodded. Good.

Zuko’s voice turned a little quieter. “But that’s not all of it.” He turned to face Sokka directly. “I don’t know if Katara told you, but her and Aang came and saw me. Back when you were recovering. They explained the whole plan, from the beginning.”

Sokka felt a jolt of surprise. “She didn’t tell me that.”

“I know I said I’d found my family when I found my uncle. But Aang and Katara, they’re my family too. And what I’m trying to say is that I understand. I didn’t at first. I don’t… it’ll take me a while. To forgive you completely, I mean.”

“I get it.” He really did. This was more than he could have hoped for.

Another pause. Another moment, before either spoke.

Sokka tried to summon every bit of courage he had. “You said Aang and Katara were like family. What are we?”

Zuko stayed silent for a moment. And then, slowly, he reached over and took Sokka’s hand in his own.


End file.
